Reparation
by FireStorm1991
Summary: Bulma and her teenaged son meet Vegeta Kurobushi, president of Ouji Corp., by chance as the man returned to his roots to face his past. As he faces his own demons, he realizes Bulma has just as many as he and wonders how this mysterious woman learned to handle her tragic and complicated past. If she could face it without closure, he certainly can too, right?
1. Preface

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Hey everyone. I know it's crazy that I'm posting another story, but this one kind of made an impact on my mind. There is something I want everyone to know before getting into this story that won't be revealed in this chapter, but I just wanted to clarify in case people do a double-take. This is a Vegeta X Bulma story and Tarble will be in the story as Bulma's half-brother, but he will have no relation to Vegeta whatsoever. It's not a gigantic thing related to the story, but I figured some people would have been stunned to see that in a Bulma X Vegeta story. Anyway, let me know what you think.

* * *

Footsteps tapped in the hall as a tall, blue-haired woman paced around. She had been waiting for hours to get information. There was only so long she could look at the screen and sit there patiently listening to music as she waited for a nurse to come to get her. The hospital was fairly quiet as any would be at nearly eight in the morning. Her mother had been in surgery for a while, and Bulma had barely slept a wink the night before. She could really use some coffee.

Finally, the nurse came to get her letting her know that her mother had awaken and the procedure was over. During their walk to the back, Bulma listened as the nurse prattled on about how much pain her mother was in trying to get Bulma to sign off on pumping the woman with drugs, something her mother really didn't want or need. Her tolerance for pain was one of the many things Bulma inherited and admired, plus the doctor had already given her a pain block. Besides, when she herself had surgery on her arm, the nurse staff at the hospital had given her painkillers when she didn't need them and told her mother that they were busy with other patients.

When she was alone with her mother, she tested the waters asking the woman how she felt. Obviously, she was tired and a bit emotional. That was to be expected considering her hormones were all over the place. Well, they _were_. Now, she wouldn't have to worry about that. After all, her mother had just had a hysterectomy.

Why had her mother gone through with such an invasive process? Well, the answer wasn't too terribly complicated…sort of. The science was complicated. The simple answer was that the women in her mother's family had a condition where the body produced too much estrogen. When they were younger, nothing happened, but once they were around the age for menopause, things got worse. Her mother had been one step away from uterine cancer. Had the woman not realized something was wrong with her, she would have been in trouble.

The step before was, as the doctor termed it, endometrial hyperplasia, meaning the cells of the uterus were continuously dividing and being shed with only some cellular control. Had she waited any longer, it would have turned into full-fledged cancer like Bulma's grandmother had had. The options were to monitor and do nothing, but she had an eighty percent chance of developing uterine cancer. If she received the hysterectomy, she'd be safe and her body's estrogen problem would be gone. So, here they were.

It had been a difficult decision for her mother to make. The woman had always wanted more children, but she only had Bulma. Bulma took no offense. Her mother had done so much for her all her life, and she knew the woman wanted more children. She herself wanted many children and promised her mother she'd give her as many as possible. The only problem was time, now.

Bulma knew she had plenty of it. She was only twenty-four years old, but with this condition she knew she'd have to make the same choice as her mother. The risk was greatly reduced the earlier she'd get a hysterectomy. The doctor had recommended she have all her children by the age of thirty-five and then go through with the procedure. That would have been easy for her to swallow if there was a man in her life.

Dating was hard for the girl. Her father, manager of Capsule Corporation, hadn't really been the best role model for her. She hadn't even met the man until she had turned eight. Her mother, Bunny Hamasaki, had met him in college, and he had promised her a wonderful life. Back then, he had been young and her mother was about to graduate. He told her he loved her, said he wanted to marry her, and then Bunny had become pregnant. Sure, he had been there for a while, but he told her he couldn't be a husband or father and then fled. Of course, he had his thinly veiled threats to keep Bunny from ever looking for him or his family.

It wasn't until Bunny remarried that she ever considered looking for Trunks. Her husband had been divorced once before and was paying child support for his daughter, Tights. He believed Trunks Briefs, with all the money he had, should be supporting his daughter and the woman he left behind. It was around the time Bulma had grown jealous of her step-sister's and step-father's relationship. The young girl had said to her mother that if she could ever find her father, she'd be okay with it.

Unbeknownst to Bulma, her mother had already been looking and found Trunks soon after. Bulma was so excited to meet the man having carefully planned questions to get to know him. After all, her mother had always said he was just immature and not ready to be a father. Now, though, maybe he'd change his mind and she could get to know him.

He lied to her from day one.

She knew he lied, for when she asked why he never contacted her he said he promised Bunny that he wouldn't. Rationally, it didn't make any sense. Her mother never told her that, and she wouldn't have tracked him down had she made him promise her not to contact them. The story didn't add up leading to Bulma questioning her mother. Her mother had assured her that it wasn't true. Bulma knew Bunny wouldn't lie to her seeing how upset she was. She chose to believe her mother…and confront her father.

At age eight, Bulma had the idealistic world about her where everyone had to be honest and when someone lied, you had to tell them they needed to tell the truth. Trunks Briefs did not like the child confronting him and it lead to a major argument, an argument that Bulma could hardly remember yet left the feeling of distrust between her and her father. The fact that her step-father ended up divorcing her mother in the end after cheating on her did not help her feelings of distrust in men.

Bulma grew up constantly challenging her father. It wasn't done on purpose. Bulma was just very opinionated and had a very strong sense of right. To be honest, her father attacked her so many times in such cruel ways that she had little to no respect for the man. Still, he was her father and the childish part inside her wanted to work things out with the man. There were times she couldn't deal with his harsh words and begged him to just let it all go and start over. Of course, she was an adult by then, away at college alone as her mother worked all over the country as a nurse through some temp agency.

Around that time, Bulma had gotten into a physics program at her school and was struggling to make up the tuition. She was attending an out-of-state school, and the tuition was triple. In a year, she'd be a resident and could get the reduced tuition. It didn't help her first semester where she was only $1,600 short. She knew her father was wealthy and she had hoped he'd help her. No, she wasn't asking him for money. She would only ask him to cosign a loan since she didn't have any credit. With his name on there, she was sure to get the loan and she'd be able to pay it back all on her own.

At first, her father sounded like he was considering it and even asked her to send him all the information. Later, he turned it all around at her saying she was a terrible person for asking him for anything. He told her she had a horrible work ethic and that asking people for money was disgraceful. The jerk even criticized her mother saying the woman had taught her poor spending choices. Everything he said was the furthest from the truth; Bulma knew that, yet she still took it to heart. She fell into a deep depression and had difficulties sleeping having nightmares that she'd be kicked out before she even began to work towards her degree.

* * *

"Bulma, are you really sure about this."

The girl smiled sadly and looked to her best friend, Goku Son. The spiky haired man had been her friend since they were in grade school, her first crush and first love. The two had gone in different directions, yet they still managed to keep their friendship intact.

She had gone to him after getting her mother set up at her parents' home. Goku and his mother, Gine, had offered to take her out to dinner, and Bunny told her she should go. Bulma hadn't slept for almost twenty-four hours and was exhausted by this point, but she was so on edge. Gine had dropped the two of them off at the mall so they could have some time to talk alone. Bulma took that time to talk about the topic weighing heavily on her mind. He was the only one she could trust.

Back during her depression in college, a student Bulma had been carrying had earned Bulma's trust. She was so easy to talk to, and so Bulma confided everything about her father to this girl. Weeks later, her father's birthday came up and she tried to call him before her classes. Of course, he ignored her call like he always did leaving Bulma in a bad mood. Her entire lab group could tell, and Bulma explained some stuff going on. Then, the girl she had trusted pointed out that she was like her father, a baseless accusation but damaging.

After that, Bulma's depression worsened. She noticed similarities between herself and her father. She started hating herself more. Her father was continuously blaming her for his unhappiness. She was trying to prove she had a great work ethic by aiming for straight A's even if it killed her. She tried therapy and found out she developed a condition called perfectionism. Perfectionism wasn't what most people thought it was, but an emotional condition where a person attempted to be perfect to gain the approval of someone and the fear of making mistakes. She was drowning in a mess of mixed feelings.

Goku had noticed Bulma withdrawing as well as her stress and talked with her every night. He knew her better than everyone. She was energetic and chatty. She could be made excited by talking about her projects and classes, yet nothing seemed to pull her from the depression until he figured out her underlying issues of self-loathing. He assured her that she was the furthest thing from her father and that any similarities she saw weren't a big deal. Some were even genetic, like the sound of her laugh.

Bulma fell harder for her friend during that time, and eventually convinced him to date her. He hadn't been in love with her at the time, and their relationship didn't last. They loved each other, but they realized they wanted different things out of life. Both had been relieved they hadn't delved too deep into a relationship, for they were better friends than anything else, and they both needed each other to help them get through tough times. For instance, what she was about to tell him.

Bulma sighed and shook her head. "You know how I am, Goku. The doctor said I have until I'm thirty-five to have children. I have to keep all my options open."

"But this is a big deal, and a big decision to make. What makes you think this is right for you?"

A small smile found its way to Bulma's face. "Relax, Goku, I'm not making the decision today," she explained. "I just need to come to terms with the fact that it might happen this way. You know that when we dated I was a mess. I didn't even trust you and you were my best friend. You're the one who helped me realize that I had trust issues because of Trunks. I may not ever be able to overcome them.

"I'm giving myself time, until I'm thirty, before I make an official decision. But let's face it…I want kids. If I don't meet a guy I trust enough not to abandon or torment my children by then, I'm going to have children on my own. It's possible, after all. Mom already knows how I feel, but I highly doubt my grandmother will go for the idea of me going to a sperm bank."

Goku chuckled awkwardly, remembering Bulma's grandmother so well. He was an honorary part of her family, after all. The woman was an old-fashioned, overly judgmental woman. It was hard to get along with her, especially when she gave her opinionated statements. "Well, as long as your mom's okay with it, it doesn't matter. You have to do whatever will make you happy, Bulma."

"Thanks," the woman replied. "But like I said, it's just if I don't meet someone. Mom's highly convinced that I will."

"I agree with her," Goku told her. "I just want you to know, though, that if it does play out that way you'll have my support. I don't care how my nieces or nephews get here, as long as they get here."

For the first time that day, Bulma laughed out loud and had to steady herself holding onto the table. "Goku, you're so cheesy sometimes. One of the things I love about you."

His infectious smile brought a grin to her face. "Love you too, B. All this talk with babies, though, reminds me that I have to find a way to tell my mom that I don't want kids."

"Oh Goku, she loves you, and it won't be as bad as you think," Bulma assured him taking his hand. "Besides, a lot of people nowadays don't want kids. And who knows, you might meet a really wonderful woman who makes you change your mind on everything."

"I highly doubt it, B," Goku murmured softly.

"Just like I doubt I'll get over my fears and find a husband."

"Well, you got me there," the man laughed. "We're not so different, huh?"

"Not in the least, bestie, and we're both children when we want to be. It's what makes us great friends."

"Yeah," Goku replied. "I'm glad things are like this. I just hope things will always stay this simple."

Bulma shrugged. If she thought back on both hers and Goku's lives, they were anything but simple yet the two of them managed to keep their heads on their shoulders. She couldn't promise him things would be simple. He couldn't promise her things would stay the same.

* * *

Months later, Bulma's world was turned upside-down again.

After changing gears on her career, Bulma had worked closely with someone in town on a research project. At first she was just going to be a generic engineer, but she found that she liked creating new ideas to grow on the old. She didn't want to be a manager at a company, but she liked to invent. It was a long shot, but she knew she could do it. She had just found out she had gotten into a graduate program to get her masters in electronic design. Her mom had planned to come days later to help her pack up her place and move.

That Friday, Bulma realized she had to say goodbye to all of the people she had met in her five years of living there. The good news was she would have some time in her hometown and get to see Goku before she went off to school, but it was still hard for her to accept saying goodbye to her teachers, advisors, friends, etc. Her heart was saddened by the idea of leaving behind people who had gotten her through her five years in that town.

Monday, though, her world changed when her father's mother called her up. Bulma had a great relationship with her father's family. They, too, had to deal with her father's insanity. Through the years, he had ignored them all, angry that they wouldn't turn Bulma away. He and his wife had stopped coming around to family events and even uninvited her grandparents from her half-brother, Tarble's, christening. Bulma and even Bunny had an excellent relationship with her grandmother, and the women talked often. "Hi gramma, what's up?"

"Bulma…I just got a call from Launch. Your father was in a car crash. He didn't make it."

Upon hearing her grandmother's dazed words, Bulma's heart froze. "Wh…What?" For a minute, she thought her grandmother was joking because the words sounded empty and reported, but when the woman said them again there was more emotion to it. "I…I need to go. I have to…call mom."

Bulma couldn't even bring herself to dial her mother's number. She was in shock, her body tense. She couldn't form words. She could hardly breathe. This couldn't really been happening.

She finally got up her nerve and called her mother. Her mind couldn't focus on what she was saying when she recited the words that her grandmother said to her. Bunny reacted the same way she did, stunned into silence, and then Bulma broke down and needed to get off the phone. She was thankful she would see her mother the next day when she flew down to help her pack. Now, saying goodbye didn't seem so hard.

Telling Goku was similar, although she told him Trunks had died. Her friend hadn't heard her father's name in so long. The year before, the man had called Bulma illegitimate and pushed her away further, and so neither Bulma nor Goku brought him up unless Bulma really needed to talk about her emotions. She hadn't spoken to the man since then, so hearing his name and the fact that he was gone came as a shock to her friend. He listened as Bulma talked aimlessly about everything she had felt in the past, and reluctantly listened to the woman saying how guilty she felt for not speaking with the man. In the next passing weeks, he knew Bulma would be going through more than enough. He wouldn't point out that her feeling guilty was baseless, or she'd probably shut down on him.

Bunny took over with getting Bulma's apartment packed and moved. She hired a moving company to help while Bulma went out to Chicago to be with her father's family. It was so hard to be there listening to all the positive stories about her father, the people he helped, the money he gave freely, the children he treated like his own when he treated her like nothing. The only positives being there was that she got to be with her family, be there for her eleven year old brother, and see her father one last time. She didn't know how her life would change, but she had yet to find out that her father would give her one great gift.

Months passed and Bulma worked hard on her masters degree. She spoke to her brother more, quiet as he was, but to her joy he liked the same things she did, engineering, videogames, and even card games. Surprisingly, they both got their love of cards games from playing with their father. Sometimes, she'd have the occasional good memory pop up.

Bulma had learned in those months to accept things about herself she once kept buried. During the wake and funeral, Bulma's shock damned her. At times, she thought the good man everyone talked about, the honorable man they deemed him to be existed and that her memories of him weren't that bad. She had been telling a friend about all the drama since elementary school and realized that in addition to her self-loathing and perfectionism problems, she had hit rock bottom and been suicidal as well. No, she had never acted upon the random thoughts that accosted her between high school and college, but she was starting to remember exactly how she felt then and it made her feel sick.

Some good things came out of it which also made Bulma feel guilty. She felt relief that she would never have to deal with her father's horrible words and anymore pain. He would never attack her and make her feel less of herself. Part of her believed her father loved her, and now she knew because she had dreamt it feeling the presence of love all around her. After that, she started focusing on letting go of her negative thoughts towards herself. She worked on her perfectionism, though she still had severe test taking anxiety and insomnia. Still, she was taking baby steps to leaving the emotional pain in the past and moving forward with her life. She hoped that with time, she would completely accept herself and be free of self-loathing. If her mother and Goku had anything to say about it, she would.

Surprisingly, her father had left her some money to be able to take care of herself. It was surprising that he had kept the court mandated life insurance policy after he was no longer responsible for her, but she was thankful he did. Because of that, she was able to rent an apartment while away for her masters. She paid off the remainder of her mother's surgery bills so that she wouldn't be in debt. She even got an SUV that was marked the highest in safety (she was taking no chances when it came to cars ever again). It helped with her stress to not have to worry about finances. She was used to financial anxiety considering her mother always worked three to four jobs, only occasionally finding one job that kept them afloat. She hated having and using the money, but she made the most of her circumstance. The only way she'd accept the money, though, was if she put whatever she didn't need away for the future of the children she did not have. Everything else, she'd get by like she always did using the skills she learned from her mother. When she graduated, she managed to get a job designing software and robotics and was able to sustain herself.

Five years later, she would be in a stable position to have a child. That was a promise she made to herself, and she was holding herself to it, man or no man.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

She didn't know what she had been thinking.

Five years later, Bulma had gone through with her backup plan. During those years, she had hardly had any time for dating. Most of the guys that flirted with her revealed their true intentions, for her face had become public as the daughter of Dr. Trunks Briefs. It was a painful reminder that Bulma did not have a decent relationship with her father and that he was well-known and liked by many. It got to the point where she could hardly bear it, and so she had stopped dating completely for a year.

She had met someone right before she made her decision to have a child. The man's name was Yamcha, and he was great. He had been nervous around her at first, and then, when he got his confidence, she had been nervous around him. They had only just met so she couldn't rush anything, and then she turned thirty during their relationship. Eventually, she confided everything in him about her family's condition and what her plan was. She wanted children, but Yamcha wasn't ready for children, whether they were his or just hers, so they had a clean break with no hard feelings.

So, it finally came down to make her decision. It had been easy at first. She wanted a baby, and she was going to have one. Thankfully, she could afford it between what she inherited and her own job. Sure, her father hadn't left her a lot of money, but it was enough to keep her stable until she had gotten her own job. The rest she put away for the future of her child or children depending how life played out. She had never wanted the money, anyway, so she could at least use it for someone who would need it.

Presently, though, she felt miserable.

Logically, she knew it was pregnancy hormones. Pregnancy was not just some easy thing. She was already three months in, and she felt miserable. She had had terrible morning sickness in the beginning, but even when that symptom started to lessen, she still felt constantly nauseous. She never wanted to eat anything, yet both her mother and Goku made sure she did. Whenever she did eat, she had massive heartburn and couldn't sleep. That alone made her an emotional mess.

Her skin was becoming oily, too, and the acne was pretty bad. She couldn't really use any harsh products on her sensitive skin, and she definitely couldn't use anything with chemicals that could be absorbed and affect her baby. It still affected her. Back when she was depressed in dealing with her father, she could at least pride herself in having practically flawless skin. Seeing that she was losing that was very traumatic, however vain it sounded. Goku understood, and he assured her she still looked beautiful.

When she finally got past the three month mark, thing had gotten better.

Most of her symptoms eased up, though she still had the occasional heartburn. She was relieved when the doctor informed her that the chances of miscarriage had also dropped. Her little one was growing, and soon they were able to tell the sex of the baby. Of course, Bulma wanted someone to know so that the nursery could be painted, but she didn't want to know herself. Goku offered to go with her and handle the nursery, making the room a surprise.

However, despite her friend's good intentions, someone had a problem with it. Goku's girlfriend, Chi Chi, did not like the idea of him spending so much time with her.

Goku had met Chi Chi through their friend Krillin's, girlfriend, Juu. The two women had been college roommates, and they figured Goku would like her. She was friendly, sweet, a great cook, and understanding. Bulma had even liked her when they met, but Goku had told her he and Bulma dated. Now, Bulma knew they neither of them could keep that a secret, but Goku made the mistake of telling Chi Chi that there would always be a part of him that loved Bulma. Bulma knew he meant it platonically. They were best friends that had been through so much together, and they were practically family. They could confide things in each other that they'd never be able to say to another person.

Goku's second mistake was admitting to Chi Chi that he never wanted kids. Now, there was an excellent reason for that. Goku and Bulma had learned a long time ago that Goku's father had a few mental illnesses. The man had been a role model in both teenagers' lives, and he had always been supportive of Bulma in her crush on his son. Of course, Gine knew Bardock was on medication for his anxiety disorder, but the medication had started losing its effects. After Goku had been diagnosed with his disorder, hospitalized, and released, his father had made an attempt on his life that changed the man entirely. The injuries he incurred were terrible, and he had been put into an induced coma for months. When he awoke, he was never the same, and Goku and his older brother, Raditz, were at a loss. Raditz had already moved out, so when their father came home, care and helping him move around fell on Goku and his mother.

Because of the genetics of the illness, and also the fact that Goku was easily stressed out around kids at times, were the two main reasons he didn't want children. When Bulma became pregnant, though, he did everything to support her and was even excited about the child to be born. It angered Chi Chi, but she didn't know that Bulma and Goku had already discussed that if he got too stressed out he was at least able to return to her home and pass the kid back to its mother. Chi Chi didn't give him enough time to explain that.

Bulma tried to reach out to Chi Chi multiple times, asking for her to meet with her to discuss some things, the three of them. Chi Chi never responded, and Bulma felt really bad for being the cause of any distress between her best friend and a woman he truly loved.

For the rest of her pregnancy, Goku hung around a lot more with Krillin, the three having been close all their lives. It was nice to have them around whether it be them working on the nursery or just taking her out to do fun things around town. This was around the time when Bulma had been questioning her decision. It was already so difficult being alone while pregnant. How was she going to handle raising a child on her own?

Goku reminded her that she was just hormonal and that most first time mothers questioned their capabilities as a parent. Rationally, she knew that, but she still couldn't accept it at times. At least her friends noticed her distress and kept her mind off of it. There were even times when Goku would come over and they would just watch movies all night as Bulma rested her head on his shoulder. He would tell her things that would happen once the child was born, like Uncle Goku needing to teach the child to rollerblade since Bulma would fall on her ass. Despite the teasing, it was exactly what Bulma needed and she would fall asleep thinking of fun moments with her child.

Where her mother was supportive as anything, her step-mother was a different story. It's not that Launch was completely unsupportive, but telling the woman was difficult. After all, it's not like Bulma could say that she couldn't find anyone she trusted enough to be a decent father. She couldn't go into the emotional reasons of why she was going through with this. All she could say was that she hadn't met the one and that time was running out for her to have a child because of her family's condition. She was choosing to do it alone where her mother had been forced.

Tarble was excited about becoming an uncle. His life was changing all around him, also. He was already eighteen, which Bulma could hardly believe, and getting ready for college. The boy had chosen to follow somewhat in their father's footsteps and was pursuing a career in engineering. He was looking into schools everywhere, including the area where Bulma lived. If he got accepted, Bulma had already offered for him to stay with her and the baby. Even if there were those that didn't agree with her decision, she had her mother, her best friends, and her little brother.

She didn't need anyone else.

* * *

When it was time for the baby to be born, she wasn't alone. She had her mother in the room with her talking her through the pain, and the men in her life were all anxiously waiting outside the delivery room. It had all started when Bulma and Goku were out to lunch. He was asking her for some advice on how to deal with Chi Chi. Where they hadn't broken up, she was still acting a lot different around him. He really hated when she passed judgement on Bulma when the blue-haired girl had done nothing to earn it. Bulma assured him that she was fine and didn't mind what Chi Chi said about it. She had been receiving judgment everywhere from both people who didn't know her and her mother's family. She wanted Goku to work things out with Chi Chi and even allowed him to tell Chi Chi whatever he wanted to about their friendship and hardships. Whatever it took to keep her friend with the woman he loved, she'd do, even if it meant relinquishing her pride and guard in the presence of the dark-haired woman.

They had fallen into more relaxed conversation when Bulma was struck with unexpected pain. Goku had been so afraid for her, but he managed to get her to the hospital, call her mom, and then pick up her brother after her mother had arrived from work. Never had she been more thankful that her friends and family were her support system. She didn't know what she would have done had she been by herself somewhere.

After half a day of intense labor, a little boy was born with lavender hair. Bulma had been in awe of the child as the nurse handed her the bundle. Tears began to fall as the baby, _her_ son, opened his blue eyes and looked directly into hers. Never in her life had she experienced such joy or love for a single person. It was such an amazing sensation that this little boy took her breath away. She knew there would never be another man she would love this much.

"Wow, he's so small," Goku marveled once they were all in Bulma's hospital room.

"Well, he did come to see us early," Bunny cooed as she stroked her grandson's head before looking at her daughter. "To be honest, you came earlier and were smaller, and the delivery didn't go nearly as smooth as this."

Bulma laughed and nuzzled her little boy. "I know, mom, I know. We should count our blessings, yada yada."

"I can't believe I'm an uncle," Tarble stated, sitting beside his sister to get a closer look at the baby. "He kind of looks like dad, huh?"

Bulma froze, her heart stopping in her chest. She looked to both her mother and Goku who both wore serious expressions. Goku squeezed her shoulder in reassurance. His friend had resolved years ago that that she would never burden Tarble with the pain she felt at the hands of her father. She never wanted the boy's image of the man to be tainted. Where he had been a horrible father to her, he was an amazing father to Tarble. Bulma loved her brother too much to trouble him, but hearing his longing and kinds words about their father would sometimes sting like it did in that moment.

In a tight voice, Bulma agreed, "He does. I mean, at least with the hair. Everything else is totally taking on mom's family's features. The perfect blend."

The nurse in the room smiled along with the family as they continued to take in the newest addition when she finally voice, "So, have you thought of a name, yet?"

Bulma really hadn't had much time to think on a name considering she just found out the baby's gender after his birth. She had always wanted a son, but she only had a name picked out for a girl. There was only one name that came to her, but she didn't know if she should use it. It was her father's name, and Lord knew that relationship hadn't worked out well.

But then a thought came to her. Bulma would not have the same relationship with her son that she did with her father. In fact, she would teach him the value of family, honesty, and honor. She would show him the love that she never felt from her father, for she would have to love him enough for two parents, and with how much she loved him from the moment of his birth and beforehand, she didn't see that as being too difficult. In his own way, Trunks had loved her even though he tormented her at every turn when alive. Part of her felt like she owed it to him to let her son grow into a better Trunks, one that wasn't causing misery at every turn.

"Trunks," she whispered, earning everyone's startled attention. "I want to name him Trunks. Trunks Hamasaki."

"Are you sure about that?" Goku voiced softly yet skeptical.

Bulma's eyes met her brother's and she smiled. "What do you think, Tarble? Do you think I should?"

"I think dad would be happy," the eighteen year old said, still not understanding Goku's concern.

"It suits him," Bunny agreed. "My little grandson, Trunks."

* * *

After that, things had gone smoothly with getting the baby home and settled. Bulma loved Trunks's nursery and all the work Goku and Krillin had put into it. It was a soft blue that matched hers and Trunks's eyes, with plenty of different stuffed animals, large and small aquatic animals. The whole room screamed sea, which made Bulma laugh, especially the horseshoe crab stuffed animals. She knew Goku wasn't a huge fan of those, though they both did like the beach and swimming. The room was perfect.

Bulma was very lucky that Trunks hardly cried, though he did fuss at times. Thankfully, her brother was there to help her, too, sometimes staying up a few extra hours in case Trunks woke. Trunks was honestly a very easy baby to manage, and she thanked God that she was blessed with a child that seemed to know she was only one person. That wasn't to say it was all easy. Trunks did get up a lot during the night and made quite a bit of noise even when he didn't cry. Between work and getting up multiple times through most nights, Bulma was exhausted. When she didn't sleep, not to mention the lovely condition of increased estrogen, she was an emotional mess. She did her best not to break down, but when she did Goku or her mother would be over to help her out. Still, she needed a vacation.

It was Goku's bright idea to suggest camping. Bulma actually liked camping growing up, especially the s'mores. She decided it would be a good early experience for Trunks, and so they drove to a campsite where they planned to meet Krillin. During the drive, Bulma asked Goku what Chi Chi thought about them all camping together. Nonchalantly, Goku told her he only told Chi Chi he was going with Krillin.

Now, Bulma knew Goku. He never did anything maliciously, so when she asked him if he thought Chi Chi would be upset with him for lying, he explained he didn't want to upset her in the first place so he just left Bulma out. He wasn't doing it on purpose. He just wanted to avoid hurting Chi Chi and also avoid confrontation.

But Bulma still didn't feel right about it.

When Goku and Krillin were rummaging around for firewood, Bulma held Trunks close and dialed Chi Chi's number. Of course, Chi Chi wasn't entirely thrilled to answer her, but she did and Bulma told her the truth.

"I just want you to know something about Goku," she told the woman. "I know you're thinking he lied to you, but I want you to know it wasn't done to hurt you. The anxiety he has makes it really difficult to make judgment calls, and he honestly doesn't believe he did anything wrong by omitting the fact that I was here."

" _Why are you calling me and telling me this?"_ the woman asked skeptically.

"I know you don't trust me," Bulma admitted, "but I want you to know that Goku and I aren't a thing. He's my best friend and confidant and that's it. We dated when we were young but it didn't last long because we were going through a lot and just needed our friendship. Heck, we almost lost it and we'd never make that same mistake again.

"But Goku loves you. He doesn't understand it, so he doesn't say it, but he does. I promise you there's nothing going on between us. I just really wanted you to hear me out, for his sake. Please, come to the campsite. I kind of owe it to my son to let him spend time with his future aunt."

That conversation had been a turning point in the two women's relationship. Chi Chi had come to the campsite, surprising Goku. He was surprised even more when she apologized for her behavior towards Bulma. She realized now that Bulma's words, which had been similar to Goku's words, were true, and a new respect towards her boyfriend's best friend grew. The group had a nice weekend, and Chi Chi got to interact with Trunks as well. When the two men decided to call it a night, Goku taking Trunks with him, the women continued to chat and get to know each other. From that moment on, they became really close, and Bulma was the one Chi Chi went to when she needed to complain about Goku's antics.

About a year later, the two were married, Goku having proposed on their anniversary. Bulma had helped him pick out the ring and managed to keep it a secret from her new friend. Chi Chi had suspected something, but a proposal hadn't been it. The preparations happened quickly, and they were wed in the fall with Trunks as their ring bearer.

A year after that, they had two sons, twins, Gohan and Goten. It amazed Goku how well he adapted to fatherhood, even with his anxiety, but he had had his practice with Trunks after all. Chi Chi was so overjoyed that Goku had honestly adjusted to the idea of having children of his own, and Bulma was happy that her boy had playmates.

* * *

She hardly had to worry about Trunks, even his terrible twos which were more messy than terrible. Trunks loved to get into trouble, but he always seemed to express his sorrow when he knew his mother had to clean his mess. It always made Bulma laugh how Trunks could do the crime and then feel guilty for it at such a young age. She didn't mind, though, and she promised the young baby that she would always be there for him, even if he goofed up or made a mess.

As Trunks grew older, the two grew closer. The boy was very bright for his age, and understood well that he didn't have a father. It never bothered him, especially when he was old enough for Bulma to explain to him the choice she made. He seemed to respond well when she told him that she had wanted a child, but didn't trust any man enough to be a father. She had told Trunks about what she went through with her own, though he knew not to say anything to Grannie Launch or Uncle Tarble. He had looked at her with shock and awe as she told him her stories over the years, and a deep-rooted respect formed.

Trunks was never embarrassed by his mother. Sure, sometimes she did embarrassing things, but it never traumatized him the way his classmates seemed to be by their parents. He didn't mind having her around his friends. Some kids his age didn't like being around their parents, but they did like his mom. They dubbed her the "cool mom," and Trunks had to agree.

When he was ten, though, his mother had to have surgery.

He knew somewhat of the condition. Bulma hadn't really sheltered him from much and explained the condition and why she went to have him a different way. He had been scared about the surgery at first, but he had his Uncle Goku and his family watching him while his Gramma took care of his mom. He did feel bad, because he knew his mom had wanted more children, but she knew he needed her and she didn't want to even risk getting sick. Trunks admired her for that too, and promised that he would always let her into his life. She was giving up a lot already.

Bulma had been sad for a little while, but life with Trunks never let her mind linger on what she didn't have. Her son was her pride and joy, her favorite person, and nothing could take away from that. Like she had with her own mother, Trunks promised her an army of grandkids that she could play with. He was so innocent and so sweet, and he admitted to feeling bad. The child honestly blamed himself for why Bulma couldn't find a husband.

She corrected him really quick, explaining her trust issues and whatnot. She told him what her mother had her, that life has a funny way of working out, and that she wouldn't trade him for more children. She told him that he gave her life purpose and filled her with so much joy and promised that she would never be the overbearing mother if he didn't want. He didn't mind so much though, because he liked the same stuff his mother did. He loved the robotics, playing video games, going camping, and even listening to rock music and singing with her in the car. She liked all kinds of music, even the kinds he grew to like in his teenage years. Techno was actually pretty cool to him, and he found that his mother enjoyed it, too.

They were happy, and they didn't need anything else but each other.

But life always had a funny way of working out.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Hey everyone! I decided to update this one today since it's my birthday and I'm really not working on any new chapters. I have a bunch for this one stored up so far. Anyway, finally we get to see our anticipated male protagonist ;D Anyways, I hope you all enjoy it! Thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing so far!

* * *

"Come on, Goten, the new club is opening up," a fourteen year old Trunks groaned into the phone as he attempted to get dressed.

" _But Trunks,"_ his friend whined, _"I don't want mom to give me grief because I didn't get my homework done. She's been cracking down on us."_

"Oh, leave that crap to Gohan," Trunks countered. "He at least likes studying. Besides, it's only for a couple hours, and mom said she'll go with us."

" _Your mom likes clubs?"_

Trunks rolled his eyes at his friend's dramatics. "You say that as if it's a surprise. I told you the CD was hers. She likes that kind of music."

His friend was silent, thinking about it for a moment. _"Still, it's not a good idea. Dad would be okay with it, but mom would never go for this. I just can't handle it."_

Trunks frowned when Goten said that. Unlike Gohan, Goten had inherited Goku's anxiety, though between Trunks, his father, and Bulma, plus this sweet girl, Valese, he was friends with, he was able to manage it really well. Still, he struggled in school and hated studying much like Goku had, and his father did his best to cut him some slack and talk his mother down.

"Goten, it'll be okay," Trunks promised. "Would you feel better if mom talked to your mom about it? You could stay over and she could help you with your physics homework, and I'll help you with the rest. It's Friday night, after all. You have the whole weekend."

" _True…"_

"So…do you want mom to call Aunt Chi Chi?"

There was some quiet for a moment before a soft, _"I guess…"_ came over the line.

Trunks broke out into a grin. "I promise Goten, we're going to have the best time!"

His friend finally seemed excited over the prospect. The club opening was probably the biggest deal that year. They were going to let teens in which was practically unheard of for the area, but it meant they would be sticklers about having I.D. Well, Trunks didn't care. He didn't need alcohol to have a good time like some of the idiots in his high school. He had his mom and his best friend. What else could he need?

He went downstairs to find his uncle there. Smiling, he quietly went to get his blow horn. Tarble hadn't even realized he was in the room, and Trunks's excitement grew. He loved messing with his uncle sometimes. Surprisingly enough, Tarble said, "Okay, Trunks, don't even think about it. My hearing aids are on and if you use that thing again, I swear you won't like my reaction."

Trunks chuckled nervously before hiding the horn behind his back. "Who me? I wasn't doing anything."

Tarble turned around and smiled at his nephew. "Oh don't give me that. I was your age once, and when I was younger, my dad and I would mess around all the time, pranking each other and all."

Trunks tried not to frown. He was able to just stay straight-faced as Tarble spoke about his time with his father. Knowing what Trunks did was hard sometimes. There were times he'd hear his mom talking to Goku about residual feelings of anxiety she had from dealing with her father years after his death. Trunks knew his mother had a self-loathing problem, and she cried anytime she read the heartfelt cards he picked out for her on Mother's Day. Knowing that this man who Tarble spoke so lovingly of, the man he was named after, sometimes left Trunks feeling angry at the injustice of his mom never having those moments. Of course, Bulma did have some good memories of her father that she shared with him, too, but he couldn't get passed the fact that his mom still suffered.

"That's cool," he responded nonchalantly. "So, what are you doing here? I hope you're not here to babysit."

"Not exactly," Tarble responded. "I was in the area and I wanted to check up on you and Bulma. I figured she was still at work, but I figured you'd at least be home. I knocked but you didn't answer, so I just let myself in. Hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," Trunks stated sincerely. "You lived here when I was little, so it's your home, too. How's Grannie Launch?"

"She's doing well," Tarble answered. "She actually got a new job, closer to here. It's at one of Capsule Corp.'s sister companies. This new guy started running the show, and he fired a majority of the staff. Mom said that she heard from the staff that where they agreed that a lot of the people didn't know what they were doing, they should have at least done some sort of formal training."

"That guy sounds like a dick." Trunks heard himself and covered his mouth. "If mom asks, I didn't say that…like, at all."

Tarble laughed at his nephew's embarrassment. "It's fine. Besides, your mom has said much worse."

"I know, but still," the teen whined.

"It'll be our secret. Anyway, yeah, he is, I guess, but he's been good to mom. Apparently, a lot of people in the business knew my dad even though he was just a manager, and she's good at what she does, so… Anyway, she's been tasked with hiring and training new recruits, so once she's trained, she'll have more responsibility."

Trunks nodded. "Sounds like a pretty legit deal."

Tarble laughed and shook his head. Trunks sounded so much like a teenager that it was funny. To be honest, Tarble liked talking with the boy. Though he was almost nineteen years older than the boy, he still felt a strong sibling-like connection. He was happy for it. He never talked down to the boy and treated him like an adult always. Trunks always had that adult mindset and intelligence, much like Tarble himself, but he was still just a kid at other times. Bulma taught her son to embrace that childlike glee, and Tarble was thankful for that. It made life so much more interesting and fun.

"So, what's on the agenda tonight?"

"Not much," Trunks replied. "The new club is opening up downtown, and mom promised she'd go with me. I convinced Goten to come, but he wants mom to talk about it with his first before he agrees."

"I heard it's supposed to be great," Tarble murmured, "though I'm not really into those places. Loud music, crowds, and hearing aids don't go well together."

"Then you should be really glad you didn't come to the rock concert with mom and me last month."

Tarble nodded in agreement, a smile still on his face. He was glad Trunks was so happy. When Bulma had told him about her plans of artificial insemination, Tarble had been skeptical. He didn't mind it, but his mother kept saying that Bulma was making things harder on herself doing it all alone. It was one of the reasons Tarble wanted a school close to her, and thankfully in the same town. He was afraid she wouldn't be able to handle it, but she had done an amazing job with the boy. He knew their father would be proud of her and the little lavender-haired child. It was hard to believe that Trunks had grown into this amazing person with a personality people were always drawn to when it only felt like he was looking at the bundle in Bulma's arms yesterday.

"Uh, Uncle Tarble, you're staring…"

His uncle chuckled in response and ruffled his hair. He really loved his sister and nephew.

When Bulma arrived home, she was huffing with stress and both Trunks and Tarble could see. "It might be your cue to run," Trunks whispered jokingly to the older man.

"I heard that," Bulma murmured, but she didn't sound too upset when she turned to face them. "Tarble, what a nice surprised. How's everything?"

"Good," he replied. "I was just in the area and decided to stop by. So, what has you so worked up?"

"Oh, not much," Bulma sighed running her had through her hair, "except for the fact that my boss is cutting our salaries…again!"

Trunks frowned. Where they were well off with money, Bulma was putting a lot into his college fund and refused to dip into it. They didn't need a lot, but it was still annoying that her boss was continuously cutting all of the employee's pay. Where Bulma was fine, her coworkers weren't as stable. There were times where his mom would give some of them money, especially this one girl, Lime, who was a single mother to two boys. "Why now?" the teenager grunted.

"Oh, I don't even know anymore," Bulma snapped, but not at her son. "He was going on and on about cutbacks and everything, when really, all we need to do is start buying in bulk and just rework our deals with other companies. I'm not a businesswoman, but I at least know that much."

"Maybe you should find another job," Tarble suggested. "I know you don't want to leave your coworkers behind, but if he keeps cutting salaries, he's gonna lose employees anyway. You might as well lead by example. I'm sure the others will fight for what they deserve if they see that someone's willing to do something about it."

Bulma had been thinking of quitting. She honestly hated the hours. It had been a great job when Trunks had been born and beforehand, but when the owner's son took over, he had no clue what he was doing and refused to hire someone to help him manage. He had fired some employees and now Bulma had to work extra hours. Where she used to be home before Trunks's bus came, she now got home just in time to cook dinner. That alone was reason for her to consider quitting.

But Tarble was right. She couldn't see herself leaving her coworkers with all of the difficult projects, but maybe quitting wouldn't be such a bad thing. She was financially stable and had plenty in her savings. Trunks's college fund was fine, so even if she took a month or two off to find work, they'd be okay. "Mom got hired by this new company," Tarble continued. "I was just telling Trunks."

"Yeah, but you said the boss was a jerk who fired a ton of people!" Trunks countered loudly. "It's great your mom works there, but mom doesn't need some critical creep breathing down her neck! She already had that once before!"

"Huh, what do you mean?" Tarble replied dumbly.

Bulma moved to Trunks and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Nothing Tarble, don't worry about it. Just some guy I had to deal with in college."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," Tarble answered sheepishly. "You don't talk much about your college days."

"They weren't that great," Bulma admitted, "but it's not important. Trunks just doesn't like it when I get criticized."

"I think you'd be fine, though. The company was a sister company to Capsule and they seemed to know a lot about dad. They've been really good to mom, and I'm sure they'd be good to you, too."

Bulma didn't need a constant reminder of her father every day, especially if these people actually knew him or of him. She also didn't want to be trained by her step-mother, though she was most likely in the business department. She couldn't tell Tarble the true reasons why, especially when he said his mother could set it up. "Thanks, Tarble, but I don't think so. Honestly, I'd rather get a job on my own and not because of who I'm related to. I'm sure you could understand that."

"Yeah, I get it," Tarble assured her, "but the option is there. I'm sure you'd find something easily, regardless. I figured I'd tell you about it, just in case."

"Thanks, little bro," Bulma teased before looking at her son. "Now, are you ready for tonight, kiddo?"

"Yeah, about that," Trunks started, "I want Goten to come, but he's worried about what his mom will think. She's been giving them grief about grades, and Goten's stressed. I told him you could maybe talk to her and he could stay over and you'd help him with physics and I could do the other stuff with him."

"That's not a problem," his mom agreed. "I'm sure Chi Chi will be fine with it. Goten could really use a break."

Trunks couldn't argue. Goten had been excessively stressed lately, which was not a good thing. They had found out when they were thirteen that he inherited the anxiety disorder. Goten and Gohan had always known of the possibility, for Goku wanted them to know that if they ever felt overwhelmed, they needed to come to him. Gohan and Goten were opposites, where Gohan was always calm and Goten was always stressed. Trunks had known about the disorder too, after meeting Bardock who had sadly passed away years before, and because his mother had told him about her friendship with Goku and when the two of them dated. Goku, likewise, shared those stories with Goten and him, though not Gohan. It wasn't that Gohan was a bad kid or anything, but he was very factual based. He didn't understand much about anxiety or why his father was so close with a woman who wasn't his mother. He even was skeptical about the late night phone calls between Goku and Bulma. Thankfully, when he asked his mom about it, she assured him nothing was going on between his father and honorary aunt. It still didn't make him see.

They were now going to be turning fifteen, and the pressure of high school was on. Trunks felt it, though not to the same extent as Goten. If he wasn't perfect, he wasn't perfect. His mother never focused much on grades as long as he tried his best. And his best was A's in some classes, B's in others, and the occasional C. His mother was fine with it. It's not like Trunks cared about becoming valedictorian. Besides, the only classes he really cared about were band, math, and writing, and band was only because he liked playing the drums. It was good stress relief after a busy day.

He wished he and Goten were in more classes together, but Trunks was in honors classes like his mother and uncle were before him. He guessed it ran in the family, but sometimes it was really hard. Goten, like Goku, didn't excel in school, but he got by. It wasn't like he was failing or anything, but Chi Chi seemed to want him to get A's. There was that one time his progress report was straight C's and Chi Chi grounded him. Goku, though, had allowed him to go out and come to Bulma's house a lot during that time telling Chi Chi that Bulma and Trunks were tutoring him. Chi Chi also didn't fully understand the anxiety issues, but she did love her son. Trunks believed that Chi Chi had known Goten was sneaking out to their place, especially when she called every time he was there when she hardly called at all. Trunks knew his mother would convince the woman to let Goten come out that night.

Bulma dialed the number, chatting with Chi Chi about a few things including a new recipe, work, and about Trunks before mentioning that she and Trunks were going to the club opening and they wanted Goten and Gohan to join them. There was silence for a moment before Bulma said she understood, but it was Friday and that she could help Goten with his work over the weekend and that Gohan was welcome to join. Trunks snorted quietly. Normally, Gohan wouldn't join them. It wasn't that he was stuffy or boring or rude, but Gohan had other interests like literature and reading. He only listened to classical, which Trunks would even admit was his guilty pleasure, and he hated clubs and dancing. He didn't even go to the school dance even though it was clear that the new girl, Videl, wanted to go with him. Trunks realized a long time ago that Gohan was just socially awkward and accepted it just like Gohan accepted that Trunks had more in common with his twin than he did. They all still hung out together, just not as much.

Chi Chi must have agreed because his mom was smiling and said she'd be over soon. When she hung up, she told him what he already expected, that it was just Goten and not Gohan, and then went back to conversing with her brother. "You're welcome to join us, too, Tarble."

"I think I'll pass," Tarble sighed, and Bulma detected something was wrong and asked. "It's nothing really, just things have been kind of rough lately."

Trunks was surprised that Tarble's disposition had changed since he had been so happy, but then he realized that his uncle's tone when he first told Trunks not to use the horn was very deep and sullen. Tarble had done an excellent job of putting on a brave face, but now that his sister was there, things were different. "Do…you want me to leave the room?"

"No, Trunks," Tarble told him. "It's fine. It's just, things had been getting pretty serious with my girlfriend, Maron, but I caught her with some other guy."

"Oh, Tarble, I'm sorry…" Bulma replied. Where she hadn't really liked Maron for her brother, she had never expected the woman to cheat.

"Some, other stuff was said and it's just times like these where I really miss dad, you know? I'd talk to mom, but she's dealing with her new job and I don't want to burden her."

"It's never a burden, Tarble," Bulma reminded him. "Mothers are supposed to be there for their kids to listen to what's bothering them and help them through it."

"Anyway," Tarble sighed, sidestepping his sister's words, "I just came from there. Tonight was our anniversary and I planned to surprise her when she came home, and well…you know the rest. I was sort of planning to…"

"To?" both Bulma and Trunks pressed when Tarble grew silent.

Tarble sighed again and then passed a small square box to Bulma who already knew when the conversation was headed. "Tarble, please come with us tonight. It's better than sitting here in misery."

"No, it's okay," he assured his sister. "I really don't feel like partying or anything. I just kind of wanted to see you guys. It always helps. I was wondering if maybe I could stay here for a while. I just want to rethink some things and just have someone to talk to."

"Like I said earlier," Trunks pointed out, "it's your home, too. You don't have to ask."

"Trunks is right, Tarble," Bulma replied. "You have a key for a reason. Stay a week, a month, a year. I don't mind at all. Besides, I feel like I hardly saw you these last few months and I'd love to catch up. Besides, I can tell you'll need to vent about her for a while. It's breakup rule 101."

"Did you vent a lot about Goku or Yamcha?" Tarble asked.

"Of course I did," Bulma stated matter-of-factly. "Believe me, Goku got an earful of both."

The three of them laughed weakly before Bulma moved to hug her downtrodden brother. "Don't worry, Tarble, things get better. They always do. I promise."

"I believe you, sis," Tarble breathed out. "Now, I think you have two teenage boys to deal with. I'm just going to head to the guest room and sleep."

"Your room," Bulma enforced. "It hasn't changed much over the years."

"Fine, I'm going to go nap in my room."

Bulma and Tarble exchanged weary smiles once Tarble left, and Bulma finally gave her son his hello hug before they started getting themselves together and out the door. In the car, Trunks was quiet at first, staring out the window. Bulma knew something was bothering him, but she knew he'd say it before the car ride to Goku's and Chi Chi's was over.

"I'm sorry," he blurted out looking ashamed.

"For what? Did you fail that test you were worried about? As long as you tried your best you have no reason to be sorry."

Trunks laughed slightly at that. "No, not that mom. I actually did pretty well on it, C+. No, I mean for almost blabbing to Tarble about Grandpa. I didn't mean it. He just kept saying all this nice stuff about their time together and it made me mad, you know. You didn't get that, and it wasn't fair."

"No, it wasn't, but you don't have to be sorry about that either," she reassured. "My father did cause me a lot of pain, and where I've managed and gotten over most of it, he had honestly broken me. Not destroyed, but there will always be some lingering pain. I don't want Tarble to know, not because I think it's wrong for him to know or that he won't understand, but because I just don't want him to have an image like that of our father. He was only eleven when he died, and he didn't have to deal with the emotional trauma of a father who refused to accept him. I never wanted that for him, so I'm thankful he doesn't know. But, if he found out one day, it wouldn't be the end of the world. It would just make for a very long, emotional talk."

"I know," Trunks replied. "I'm still sorry, and I'll try to keep myself in check better."

"Don't stress so much about it," Bulma answered with a smile. "I'm a big girl, Trunks."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," the boy muttered fondly. "So, let's pick some music before we get to Goten's."

It didn't take long before the two of them picked one of Bunny's favorite bands from the 80's. The two of them were belting our lyrics in the car when they arrived. Goku and Goten were waiting outside, and Goku was laughing knowingly at his son joining the chaos. He knew the night out would be good for his son, and he honestly would have joined them had he not had to close as the vet clinic. He was thankful his friend was so understanding to his son's plight as she was with him. He knew Goten would be in good hands.

* * *

The club had a good set, he had to admit. His coworkers had dragged him there after the board meeting that had sent him into a blinding rage. Vegeta Kurobushi, formerly known as Vegeta Ouji, had inherited a well-known corporation from his late father. He and his father had never gotten along, and by age eighteen, Vegeta was on the streets…willingly. He changed his name and excelled on his own. His own small business was doing very well when his father contacted him. Vegeta's father had wanted to make a deal, but Vegeta didn't sell, and his first small business turned into a multibillion dollar conglomerate.

He still had shares from his old corporation and checked in from time to time, but he had sold it long ago living off the money had had earned. He had plenty since he didn't really have the fanciest apartment or go to the fanciest restaurants. That was his father's MO. He preferred places like these clubs. They were lively, the food was good, and it was easy to find a stress reliever among the women. He didn't really use women or date them. Sometimes, they were just there and he indulged them in conversation.

"So, what do you think?" Nappa, his father's former partner, asked. "I'm surprised there isn't more people on opening night."

"Eh, probably some lazy fucks who didn't want to go out on a Friday night," Raditz joked. "Or, they could have closing hours like my brother."

"What does he do, again?" Nappa pondered. "He's a vet, right?"

"Not even close," Raditz stated. "Vet assistant."

"Same difference to me," Nappa said before looking to Vegeta. "So, you haven't said anything."

"What is there to say?" Vegeta grunted. "It's a club. As long as there's food and booze it's a good place."

"Surprising to hear that from Mr. Stick-Up-His-Ass," Raditz whispered to Nappa.

Vegeta's brow twitched in response. "I heard that." He then walked away when he heard the chortles of the two men he didn't know why he palled around with to search for a seat or at least some entertainment.

The board meeting that had him in such a mood was the same, full of incompetence. The only other rational person in there was the woman he recently hired, Launch Briefs. She was the widow of Dr. Trunks Briefs and was really the best decision he made for the company. Already, she was retraining the employees to get up to date with business policies and procedures, so that was something he didn't have to do. Raditz and Nappa were fine, but Nappa was his father's flunky and Raditz was a guy Vegeta went to school with looking for a job. He was still learning the ropes, but at least he was learning them rather quickly.

He didn't know much about Dr. Briefs or his wife, but he had always heard good things about him both on the professional and personal level. He remembered hearing about his philanthropic work, helping children that had louses for fathers like Vegeta felt he did. He had always thought Briefs was a good, family man, and so he honored him by hiring his widow. Even though her son was an adult by that point, he knew she was still supporting him. Any good parent would.

A flash of blue caught Vegeta's eyes as they landed on a woman he clearly didn't know. He hadn't been back in the area since his teenage years, not until recently when he inherited the company. No one had really caught his eye in that time, so he was curious as to why his eyes fell on a single woman out of a whole crowd. She was watching two teenagers on the dance floor with a smile on her face, the two boys dancing with a couple of girls they had met. It didn't seem creepy, though, for her to be watching as the smile was one of fondness. The curiosity took over and Vegeta found himself making his way to the woman.

As he arrived, Bulma finished her drink. "Let me buy you another" were the words that made her jump as she looked to the man who had just approached her. She had never seen him around town before, for she knew she'd remember that crazy, flame-shaped hairstyle had she seen it. A smile appeared on her face. "Uh, okay," she replied awkwardly, not used to men offering to buy her drinks. "Um, virgin piña colada, please."

Vegeta snorted a chuckle. "What, you pregnant?"

She could tell he was joking with her and laughed at the normally inappropriate remark. "No, not pregnant. Just driving. My son is out there with his friend."

Vegeta cursed his luck. So, the woman had a son and was probably married, but why was she accepting a drink then? "One, aren't your kids a little young to be in a place like this, and two, won't your husband be pissed at you accepting drinks from other men?"

Bulma smirked as she responded, "One, my son is almost fifteen as is his friend, and teenagers are allowed here. My friend was fine with it and I'm supervising. Two, I don't have a husband."

So, this woman was a single mother then. Vegeta always felt like his mother was a single parent growing up, so he kind of knew how it went. Still, he didn't really go to these kind of places with his mother. They weren't really that close. "Your son doesn't mind you stalking him?"

"Actually, he asked me if I wanted to go with him," Bulma answered. "He knew I liked this kind of thing. It's fun watching him and his friend grow into their own and relax a bit. They have a lot of stress they're dealing with."

Vegeta could relate to that as well. He was actually surprised the woman was so passive and understanding about it. Most parents, like his own, told him he didn't know what stress was, but it was the furthest from the truth. In fact, kids and teens were more stressed if anything since they didn't really understand what or why they felt a certain way. "One, _virgin_ piña colada coming up."

Bulma watched as the gruff man retreated to buy her a drink and smiled softly. It sounded like he had had a bad day and was trying to make some conversation. He probably didn't realize it, but his questioning seemed quite challenging, as if he was daring her to say something that would set him off, which apparently hadn't happened. In a way, the drink was her reward and also his invitation to continue interacting with her. It was really quite funny that he was trying to play the careless, tough guy. Of course, him asking if she was married showed that he did have standards. She figured she could humor him with some light conversation.

He returned with her drink and she thanked him. The two of them found a table over by the dancefloor so Bulma could every so often take a glance at her son and Goten. "So, I don't think I've seen you around here before. Did you just move?"

Vegeta scoffed, but nodded. "I lived here when I was younger, but I hadn't been back in years. Some family matters brought me back. Unfortunate."

Bulma frowned slightly before saying, "I'm sorry. I hope I didn't open up anything and upset you. I hope everything is all right."

"It's fine," Vegeta replied coolly. "Just something I didn't expect. It doesn't help that I was forced into this new job that I hate. Nothing but incompetence."

"Ugh, I hear you," Bulma agreed energetically lifting her glass. Vegeta just eyed her curiously before scoffing and shaking his head. "I was just talking to my brother about how the kid that inherited the company I work at can't manage his way out of a paper bag. I'm thinking of quitting."

Vegeta was stunned to hear this and wondered if this woman happened to work for Ouji Corp. He really hoped not because he didn't need some woman criticizing his management. It was his father's fault the company was so damn screwy. "Where do you work?" he asked through gritted teeth.

Bulma didn't notice his irritation or discomfort. "Just this appliance company on south. This kid is seriously fresh out of school and keeps cutting our pay. I'm fine, but I have this friend in sales and she has two sons to worry about. It's like the second time this month he announced pay cuts."

"Is this girl any good?" Vegeta asked. He had just fired some sale reps, engineers, and project managers and if this woman could give him the answer, he'd try it out.

"Oh yeah, she's great," Bulma praised. "The best we have. I don't know how she does it, but her powers of persuasion are amazing. One year, her son was selling chocolate and I had been on a diet for almost a year, and she managed to convince me to break it. When I had the chocolate in hand, I still couldn't remember what she said to get me to agree. I was so damn close to dieting that whole year. That's one New Years' resolution I won't get back."

Vegeta couldn't help but laugh at this woman's ridiculousness. It didn't even look like she needed a diet. "What about you?" he continued. "What do you do?"

"I'm an engineer," Bulma told him. "I like inventing things, but I also deal with testing out the technology and fixing broken appliances and a bunch of other stuff too. The work was getting too easy and repetitive, but we did have some big projects to implement and I really don't want to leave them, but in all honesty, I'm bored, the pay keeps getting cut, and the hours suck. Not that my son needs me to pick him up from the bus stop, but I feel like I only get a few hours with him each day and I hate it."

Vegeta was lucky if he had a few hours with his parents most days. His father always worked and his mother always either shopped or bitched on the phone. It was part of the reason he left in the first place. He didn't have a family, honestly, and they always put pressure on him to take over at his father's corporation. Now, Vegeta liked business. It was fun building something from nothing, though now it felt more like he was building something from shit and that wasn't the best feeling. He hadn't even seen his mother since he'd been back. He hadn't reached out to her, and she hadn't reached out to him lately. It was refreshing to see a woman who had a decent relationship with her son.

"Hey, mom," Trunks greeted as he slid into the booth. Goten eyed Vegeta skeptically before sitting down. "Who's this?"

"Oh, wow, I'm sorry, I didn't even get your name," Bulma laughed. "I'm Bulma, by the way, Bulma Hamasaki."

"Vegeta Kurobushi. And you are?"

"I'm Trunks," the teen announced casually. Vegeta's brow furrowed in confusion. He didn't know why the kid had the same name as Dr. Briefs, though he did assume it was common enough. Now that he thought about it, though, Bulma did look kind of familiar but he honestly couldn't place it. He shrugged it off as him being put off by the boy's name. He looked to the boy's friend. "Uh, Goten…" he introduced nervously. He did know this kid, from Raditz's pictures now that he remembered.

"You're Raditz's nephew, aren't you?"

"Uh, how did you know that?" the teen questioned warily.

"He works for me," Vegeta stated. "Your father's the vet assistant, correct?"

"Yeah," Goten answered, "he is."

"Goten's father is actually my best friend from childhood," Bulma explained. "Our families are very close. Raditz is here?"

"Sure am, B-girl."

Vegeta watched as Bulma's eyebrows twitched at the snickering man. "Well, small world. And don't call me that, idiot."

"B-girl?" Trunks asked in confusion.

"Oh, right, your boy doesn't know the story," Raditz laughed. "Well, you see, it all happened when your mom slept over one night in middle school and I found her bra and-"

"You are not telling my son this story, you asshole. It's hardly appropriate!"

"But you cursing is?"

"Goku is going to kill you if you keep going with this."

"Eh, only if he finds out." He looked to his nephew and said, "Hey, kid, you want to hear the rest, right?"

"Not even a little bit," Goten answered with a blush. He and Trunks already knew where this was going. Vegeta nearly busted out laughing when he saw the enraged expression on the lavender-haired kid's face. He could tell the boy was highly protective of his mother, and he respected that.

"None of us do, Raditz," Vegeta grunted. "Stop being so indecent. I believe this woman has solved one of our major company problems."

Bulma looked confused as Nappa asked, "How so?"

"There's an appliance company being run into the ground by an idiot that can't manage things, and the employees are dealing with crappy hours and pay cuts," Vegeta stated. "I'm sure they'd all like a chance to interview and get out of that job before there's nothing left."

"You didn't tell me you ran a company," Bulma marveled. "Wow, now I feel bad for bitching about my job."

"Eh, I know you, Bulma," Raditz stated waving his hand. "You wouldn't complain unless things were all going to shit, which it sounds like they are. I think you should interview, too. I'll vouch for her, Vegeta."

"Wait, wait, wait, what?" Bulma ranted making Trunks laugh.

"Mom, I think you just got an interview, that's what."

"Don't be a wise ass, kid."

"You love me, so I can get away with it."

"Damn it, Trunks."

Raditz snickered and Goten smiled. They were used to seeing the mother son bickering, though Goten more than his uncle. "Come on, mom. You should accept."

"I haven't been offered anything yet, Trunks. I don't even think you get an interview unless you give a resume first."

Vegeta took out a card and handed it to her. "Send me one when you can, and tell those you work for to do the same. If this place doesn't shape up, they lose. That's how I feel about business."

Bulma was hesitant, but she picked up the card and then eyed Vegeta. "You know, this feels so weird. First you buy me a drink, we talk, and now you want me to send a resume. I feel like this is extortion."

"It's so not extortion," Raditz grumbled.

"Wait, you bought my mom a drink?" Trunks nearly shouted in surprise.

When Vegeta took in the boy's reaction, he wondered if he had made a mistake. Did he not want his mother to date other men? Was he the kind of kid hoping their parents would get back together?

"Yes, he bought me a drink."

A smile alit the teen's face, making Vegeta think differently. "Oh, so this was kind of a date, huh? That's awesome."

Bulma laughed nervously and his her face in her hand shaking her head. "Oh Trunks, you nut. I wouldn't call it a date, but it was a very chivalrous gesture."

"And I thought dad saying chivalry wasn't dead was a joke," Goten pondered seriously.

Raditz looked over to Nappa and extended his hand. "My family, ladies and gents."

Nappa scoffed. "Hmph, sounds like a madhouse."

Vegeta had to agree, but again it was refreshing. He was so surprised that he ended up bumping into a woman he didn't know who seemed competent and had the answer to his problems. The board meeting had soured his mood, for all that happened was that the rest of the staff complained about Vegeta firing a whole mess of people. It was necessary, for the ones he got rid of had truly been extortionists working the system under his father's nose. When Vegeta saw the company number's he knew and started investigating right away.

The people at this appliance shop were used to shitty pay, but at his company they'd get better pay, hours, benefits, and vacation time. He figured from what Bulma said that they were be grateful just to have their normal salary back. They wouldn't try to take advantage of the system and they would do a better job than the sales idiots he fired. If someone could manage to sell an electric toothbrush to a dentist, they'd be able to handle selling the latest and greatest technology.

This Bulma, she seemed smart, and Raditz vouched for her. It either meant he truly believed it or he wanted to screw around with her, and considering how the boys reacted to his story and how Bulma bringing up his brother shut him up, he most likely wasn't interested in her. If he was, he would have kept going regardless of the disrespect. Clearly, his brother had more of a connection with her than he did, but he did respect her.

If she could invent like she said, Vegeta would be even more impressed. He needed someone new, fresh, and innovative. If he couldn't find that, there would be no way for him to save the failing company. For the first time since he returned to town, he was honestly excited about remaking the company into his own.

All it took was a chance meeting with some woman. And that chance was all he needed.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

Bulma awoke early on Saturday morning the following week. When she had gotten home, she told Tarble about the chance encounter. He informed her that the Vegeta she met was the son of Vegeta Ouji of Ouji Corp., the company he had told her about. Where Bulma didn't really want to work with a company affiliated with one her father worked for, or the company where her step-mother worked, she felt like she owed it to herself and Vegeta to at least try. After all, Vegeta gave very clear reasons as to why he fired the people working there, and he didn't seem like a jerk. Even Trunks had shouted out "That's the jerk?" Trunks refused to believe that the man who bought his mom a drink was a bad guy. Bulma just chuckled and shook her head.

Trunks was very excited about the prospect of Bulma getting a new job. Raditz had told them at the club that the pay was great and she'd have three weeks of vacation time. That made Trunks so happy because it meant that he and his mom could plan something big. Where she was working now, she hardly got any sick time.

The teenager was also excited about what he deemed his mother's new "relationship prospect." Somehow, Vegeta had won Trunks over, but she wouldn't tell him that. Vegeta was just a decent guy who had flirted with her in the bar, found out she had a kid, and honored his word of getting her the drink. He was kind and funny in a gruff way that Bulma kind of enjoyed, and it was possible he'd be her future employer. He was offering her and her coworkers a decent way out of a terrible job and she was thankful, but she believed that's where their relationship ended. She did figure that they'd be good friends at some point.

Her phone buzzed and she quickly checked the message that she knew was from Vegeta. _"Awake yet?"_

She chuckled and shook her head at his ridiculousness. She still had two hours to get ready and meet him. _"Just woke up, Mr. Impatient."_

" _I'm not impatient, woman,"_ came back so quickly, and then another, _"I just don't want you to be late. This is important."_

"Oh, for the love of," she started before laughing. "That man, what am I going to do with him?"

"Hope you aren't talking about me."

Bulma turned to her doorway to see Tarble smiling at her. She returned the expression and said, "No, Vegeta wanted me to meet him for coffee to talk about some company stuff."

"He asked you to meet him for coffee?" Tarble asked skeptically.

His sister grew confused. "Um, yeah, why?"

Tarble dead-panned. "Bulma, going for coffee is guy euphemism for on a date," her brother explained.

Bulma thought about it for a moment and then looked horrified. "No," she gasped out. "You're making that up."

Tarble chuckled. "Whatever you say, sis, but I'm standing by it. Coffee never just means coffee."

"It better not be more than coffee, either!" she shouted blushing. "It has to just be coffee. He's my potential employer. You don't think-"

"Easy, sis, easy," Tarble instructed, using his hands as a way to emphasize settling down. "Everything is fine. Yes, coffee means date, but if he's asking you to a coffee shop on a Saturday morning then coffee means date and only date."

Bulma breathed out a sigh of relief and felt bad for thinking anything more. "Well, that's good then. It's still not a date."

Bulma rounded the corner to get away from her smirking brother as he sing-songidly said, "It's a da-ate."

"It is not!"

Tarble couldn't help but laugh. Honestly, his sister deserved some romance in her life. After hearing about the corporation from the source, Tarble realized that Vegeta just inherited a mess and was trying to make things work. Even his mother only had good things to say about her boss. It wouldn't be such a bad thing for Bulma to work there. She was qualified and dedicated. If Vegeta did want to pursue her, as long as he treated her right, Tarble would support it. Of course, it was just the coffee, getting to know you, type date. He himself had done the same with Maron. Maybe he should have been more cautious like his sister, but he didn't even know how she got to be so cynical about dating. Still, she was helping him through his breakup, and so far she kept him busy enough that he didn't stew in negative feelings the whole day. Trunks did the same. To be honest, they were a blessing in his life, and they deserved to be happy.

* * *

Vegeta was waiting at a coffee shop he frequented already on his second cup. He was debating on whether or not to text the woman again, but he thought against it. He hardly knew her, and he was not the type to get whiny over being stood up. Moments later, though, it didn't matter as she came running through the door. "Jeez," she huffed in relief. "Traffic is a bear over here."

He smirked beside himself. He normally walked so traffic never really made him late, but he understood and motioned to the seat in front of him. Bulma laughed in embarrassment and then took the seat and sighed. "Ugh, I'm getting too old for this."

She had to be kidding. "How old are you?" Vegeta asked in genuine curiosity.

"Forty-four," the woman answered nonchalantly shocking Vegeta once more. "What about you?"

"Forty-six," he answered. "But you can't be forty-four. You look no more than thirty, and that's being generous with time."

A laugh escaped her. "Well, you best believe it. Besides, if I was thirty, I would have had Trunks when I was like what…fifteen, sixteen years old? Yeah, not me."

When she mentioned having a child, Vegeta looked angered and Bulma could not tell why considering how much Trunks had seemed to get along with Vegeta when they met. The next words out of his mouth made sense to his anger. "Stranger things have happened. I take it his father isn't around much."

A nervous smile appeared on her face. _Try non-existent…_ she thought. "It's complicated, but we're fine. To be honest, it was my choice."

Vegeta realized he would never not be surprised by this woman. "You chose to let the father off the hook and skip out on supporting his kid?"

At the sound of judgment, Bulma tensed up and looked away. Vegeta instantly felt some remorse for causing her good mood to shift. He was only trying to get to know her and her situation, what he would have to expect if he pursued her and he employed her. What pitfalls to avoid. "If I offended you, I didn't mean it. I'm just curious."

Bulma's distrustful eyes flashed back over but she still didn't face him. "If you're judging me now for letting some guy off the hook, then you're really going to judge me for the real story."

"I'm not judging, woman," Vegeta grunted impatiently. "I'm just curious, as I said."

"You won't look at me different?"

"No. Believe me, I bet I have worse stories."

Bulma finally faced him, frowning slightly. "Okay, I'm going to tell you some of it, but not all of it. I don't really know you well enough to give personal details. I'm just giving you common knowledge, okay?" Vegeta nodded his agreement. "I wasn't with anyone, and there's this condition in my family that is no longer serious, but could have been. I was running out of time to have kids, and the boyfriend I was dating at the time didn't want to deal with kids, so I decided to do it on my own and go to a sperm bank. Trunks's father isn't around because he's not even an issue."

It wasn't unheard of, but definitely classified in the "stranger things have happened." To be honest, Vegeta never put much thought into kids at all. Her reasoning made sense. Where he didn't know the specifics of her condition, which it didn't sound too serious now, she had wanted a kid and wouldn't have been able to if she waited. Vegeta didn't see anything wrong with her choice. "Fine by me. From what I saw, Trunks is a good kid."

Her face lit up when he brought up her son. He could see the pride she had for the boy in her eyes. It was something he always wanted to see from his parents, but had given up on when he left. His parents were horrible, and he had made his peace with that. "He really is, and it was the best decision I ever made. Even though mom's family and my step-mother weren't thrilled with the idea, it never mattered. Everyone loves Trunks."

He noticed that she mentioned a step-mother and mother, but no father. "Step-mother?"

Bulma realized she was giving too much information about herself. She didn't want Vegeta to know that Launch was her step-mother. "Yes, my father's wife," she settled for. "She wasn't one-hundred percent on board, but my friends and mom and brother and my father's family were all very supportive of my choice."

Vegeta nodded. He caught himself wondering what the girl's father opinion was but realized it didn't matter as long as she was happy with her life choices. Bulma was well put together and her resume spoke volumes. She even had some patents that he was impressed by and wondered if he could maybe either make her a deal in the company or buy them off of her. He wouldn't pressure her, but he was definitely impressed.

"So, the reason I wanted you to meet me here was so that we could discuss setting up an interview," Vegeta informed her. "Honestly, I decided to personally handle your case. Your resume is impressive."

Bulma's heart beat rapidly from her nerves, but she nodded for him to continue. "In all my years of business management and technology, I've never seen such an impressive portfolio. I looked into the patents you have listed, and I'm very impressed. I'm surprised you've been wasting your talents in an appliance store."

"To be honest, I never liked the spotlight, as I'm sure you know, Mr. Ouji."

Vegeta's eyes narrowed, but playfully. He knew it wouldn't take her long to find out, but the fact that she was using the name against him to defend herself was highly entertaining. "Well, you caught me, but I changed my name because I no longer wished to be an Ouji."

Bulma's playful expression turned to one of concern and it made Vegeta's stomach drop. He had never had anyone look at him with worry in such a long time and did his best to ignore it and remain stoic. "Why is that?"

Vegeta knew Bulma had been guarding herself through their exchange, so he in turn had been keeping to himself. Of course, one accidental slip had him regretting the playful banter from the moments prior. He needed to tell her something, and lying was something he refused to do. "Truthfully, my father and I never had a good relationship, and I no longer wished to carry his name."

"I can relate," Bulma admitted. "To tell you the truth, my relationship with my father is the reason I'm not too keen on giving personal information to men I just met."

"Understandable," Vegeta stated. He couldn't fault her for protecting herself even though he meant no harm. "Anyway, as far as work goes, if it were up to me we'd skip the interview and I'd offer you the position as my head technician. Out of all the resumes I've seen, I have never seen a person with so much drive. And to know that you're a single mother and dealt with personal and medical issues on top of working and inventing, I know you'd be a good fit. When I started my first business, it was started from nothing. I used my hardships to fuel me, and I've survived. This resume speaks of a survivor and not just another empty face."

To hear Vegeta speak so passionately about his past accomplishments and the workforce was enough to leave Bulma speechless. His stern expression was something she hadn't expected, but it was clear he took his corporations seriously, and so he would hire her not because he wanted to get to know her, but because he felt she was best for the company. "When would you like to set up an interview?"

"Monday morning, ten o'clock," Vegeta answered. He had picked that time because he knew her son would be well into his school day.

"Could you make it Tuesday?" she asked. "Monday, I have no choice but to work. We're understaffed, and we have yet another meeting, like seven in two weeks. I'm not predicting anything good."

"I will agree, but only if you agree to dinner on Monday evening."

Bulma eyed his as if he were crazy, but she realized that Tarble had been right about the coffee equals date equation. "I…are you sure it's a good idea. I mean, you might be my boss soon, and aren't there corporate regulations-"

"Bulma, I make the corporate regulations," he said smugly. "Besides, I can separate my business endeavors from my personal endeavors. You have nothing to worry about."

He was so confident, and not at all concerned about what his employees would think. Truthfully, Bulma hadn't really dated much over the years, and she hadn't planned this at all. It wasn't an unwelcome occurrence. Vegeta was being completely rational and keeping the professional and personal ties separate. She felt like she could really do this for the first time in her life. "And it doesn't bother you that I have a teenage son?"

"I knew you had a son before asking you here, didn't I?" Vegeta retorted with an arrogant grin as he leaned back casually in his chair. "It won't be an issue. Besides, you're going to need a drink when that meeting's over. Trust me."

A warm smile forced its way to the surface. Yeah, she figured it wouldn't be, but Trunks was her world and she just had to be sure for both their sakes.

"Dinner sounds good, Vegeta."

When she arrived home, Tarble was sitting at the table with a smug expression on his face. The woman sighed. "You were right. It was a date." Her brother simply began laughing at Bulma's expression, her leaving the room shaking her head but smirking. She'd find a way to get him back eventually.

* * *

Of course, Vegeta had been right and the meeting had shot everything to hell. Bulma, as she said, was fine, but things had just gone from bad to worse for all of them. Trunks had been surprised when his mom stormed in at three in the afternoon. He stared at her wide-eyed as she started throwing her stuff down and cursing all over the house. Tarble was lucky he had been out. Sometimes it shocked him to see his older sister in such a state.

His mother flew up the stairs of their apartment and slammed the door to the bathroom shut. The teenager pursed his lips together and just slipped on some headphones and continued to do his homework. He knew his mom's moods, and it was best to avoid her when she was angry. After she had some time to cool, she was usually open to a wise ass comment courtesy of himself and then she'd laugh at how ridiculous she was acting.

With her mood, though, Bulma completely forgot about her date with Vegeta. For Vegeta who was waiting at the restaurant, he didn't think it was a good sign. He frowned at his watch. Bulma had been late for their coffee date, and now she was over an hour later for their dinner date. He hoped this wasn't how she normally operated, or that would be the one thing to set him off. Traffic, he could handle, but he didn't know what her excuse would be this time.

He had to admit, he was pretty pissed by being stood up. He attempted to call her, but there was no answer. He knew her address from her resume, though he figured it would be a total invasion of privacy. Maybe, though, this once he could get away with it. He needed to know why this woman was missing another appointment, for if she did this a lot in her personal time, her professional skills would unfortunately have to be called into question.

The apartment was in a nice neighborhood near a good school district meaning Bulma did her research. He had to admire that, but he was truly wondering if those research skills were truly worth it. He reached the door and knocked, and moments later the teenaged boy answered. Trunks looked surprised, but he grinned at Vegeta and immediately let him in. Vegeta was kind of embarrassed by the look of awe Trunks graced him with. He had to clear his throat before stating, "Your mother and I had a date."

"Heh, oh," Trunks murmured nervously. "Um, she came home in a super bad mood. She went up to shower like an hour ago and I haven't seen her since. I'm pretty sure something bad happened at work. She came home c…just not happy."

Vegeta nodded. He could understand that. Still, he had offered to take Bulma out to help her unwind after dealing with her idiot boss. He did his best not to take things personally.

"You can go knock on the door if you'd like," Trunks offered. "I mean, she might still be pissed if she's been in there so long, but she might respond well. She probably couldn't remember the date. It didn't seem like she was thinking straight when she got home."

That could have been another potential problem if she couldn't handle other's incompetence, though he himself had been known to brood for a while at times. He mentally shrugged. So far, this woman hadn't fully disappointed him so he chose to give her the benefit of the doubt. He took the boy's advice and ascended the stairs slowly not realizing that Trunks was grinning the entire time.

The shower was still going, though Vegeta never felt awkward about such facts. He casually knocked on the door and received no answer. "Woman," he called out loud enough for her to hear.

It honestly surprised him when he heard a very weak and quiet, "Vegeta?" His heart stopped. She couldn't really be doing what he thought she was.

Instantly, the shower was turned off and Bulma answered the door clad in a towel, though not fully coming around the door. To Vegeta's fear, her eyes we red and her cheeks were puffy and wet, and not from the shower. When he heard her broken voice, he knew she was crying. He hated when women cried.

"I'm sorry, I completely forgot," she said meekly, and it was a tone that didn't suit her. "It was just a day. I'll tell you about it in a moment, and then I'll order us some takeout, as an apology. Is that okay?"

Vegeta nodded, his expression stoic and cold, though inside his heart was screaming to comfort her. He hated that part of himself, sometimes. It reminded him of a time where his mother was actually a mother, and he hated his father for making the woman cry. Vegeta knew from his mother before she completely changed that women were tough, and crying meant they had definitely been wronged. It still bothered him that he felt the urge to comfort a woman he only recently started pursuing, letting his guard down. He didn't know if it would lead to anything, and he didn't want to get too involved with her problems yet. Well, that's what he told himself, anyway.

He looked down the stairs and saw Trunks standing there with a concerned expression. He knew the teenager and his mother were close, and he understood whatever array of emotions were in the child. As the bedroom door opened, though, Trunks hightailed it leaving Vegeta to deal with the woman. She looked a lot better, though her eyes were still red and her smile was forced. "I'm really sorry, again," she spoke, her voice still hoarse and weak. "Things didn't go well today."

"Fired?" Vegeta asked coolly.

"Not me, but a lot of the staff," she revealed. "They're all still in the interview process with your company, and some of them are really struggling."

"That couldn't be what caused this," Vegeta stated, gesturing to her.

Bulma laughed meekly and shook her head, her hand entwining her hair. "No, not at all. In fact, I went to give the idiot a piece of my mind. He fired nearly an entire department which would have set me back even more, and with no reason, either. I guess he got into a fight with his girlfriend and fired like half the women in my department. He knew he couldn't fire me, though, because I run that section, but I couldn't take it anymore, so I quit. I knew I'd be fine."

Vegeta nodded in understanding, and her rage was understandable. Her tears, though, were not. Of course, she spoke up again, explaining the rest of what happened. "He was pissed at me, and tried to talk me out of it, but when I wouldn't back down, he made some degrading comments that just opened some old wounds regarding my father, and he attacked my son, too, with those stupid words. I swear I wanted to jump across his desk and deck him for daring to say such horrible things about my child, but I knew I'd end up in jail if I did that, so I just came back here."

"What old wounds?" Vegeta pressed lightly. He probably shouldn't have asked, especially when the woman sighed and sat down on the top step hiding her face against her knees.

"It's stuff I should be over by now, but ugh, just thinking about it gets to me," she complained and then sat up taking a deep breath to center herself. A teasing grin appeared on her face and, despite how hollow the words sounded, Vegeta was honestly impressed that she owned up to her mistakes. "I bet I'm not really making a good impression on a date level, or employee-wise, and I'm sorry for that. It's just been a bad week, but it doesn't excuse how I'm acting."

Vegeta scoffed and shrugged. "Shit happens. I get it. At least you aren't making excuses." He avoided asking anything else since the woman clearly didn't want to appear even more vulnerable than she was.

"Anyway," she sighed, "I'm not really in the best mood for going out, but…would you maybe want to stay with Trunks and I and order in? We have a really good Chinese food place nearby."

Vegeta eyed the woman who seemed to be staring at a wall as she waited for an answer. She was different from the woman he had seen at the club, less guarded, more real. Her posture spoke of the effects the words had on her, and Vegeta wondered what some disgruntled man could have said about her son to dishearten her. Now, Vegeta really did want to know what was said, but he knew the woman wouldn't tell him.

"I'll pay for dinner," he stated. "I was going to, anyway."

"You don't have to," Bulma fought. "I'm the one who dragged you all the way over her. At least let me repay you for the inconvenience."

"It's not up for discussion, woman. I will pay, whether you like it or not."

Bulma had no choice but to give into Vegeta's desires. She didn't feel like arguing, especially when she already made such a horrible impression. Her boss had set her off, and she couldn't help but be reminded of her father's cruelty. It was part of the reason why Bulma opted never to date a businessman, although why Vegeta seemed to be an exception she did not know. Part of her believed that it was his attitude towards life and how he could separate it from the business world. She could only wait and see if it were true.

* * *

Trunks was ecstatic to have Vegeta as a guest for dinner. The man still felt terrible for his mother. Whatever her boss had said or done clearly got to her in a terrible way. He wondered what the idiot said, but wondered more why he cared that she had been upset. He truly could keep his professional and personal life separate, and it was rare that they ever crossed. He was no stranger to dating other coworkers, but mostly it was the occasional fling with the hot secretaries. Vegeta never felt any connection to them, nor did he want to. This woman was an enigma that for some reason had him wanting to get to know her on both professional and personal levels. He wanted to see her excel both for his company and just to see her succeed in her own life.

Again, as he watched some random action movie with the woman sitting opposite him on the couch and her boy in a chair across the room, he wondered why he cared so much. This whole scenario was unlike him. Vegeta never really connected with the opposite sex, and he hated getting involved with baggage when he had his own. He never took girls out on coffee dates to get to know them. He never took them out to a nice dinner after work, or in this case gone to their homes and have a movie night with their teenaged son. It was surreal, but at the same time he felt like he didn't mind it. Maybe he had grown soft since being back in his hometown. Either that, or he finally had the desire to settle down. He mentally scoffed at his own thought, going with the former. This town held the emotions he kept dead and buried for years. He wondered if he should keep it that way.

Trunks stretched out and yawned as the credits started rolling. "That was great, but I need to hit the hay. Exams tomorrow and all. Goten's coming over to study tomorrow for his. Is that cool?"

Bulma smiled warmly at her son. "You know it's fine with me. I'll see you in the morning, sweetie."

Vegeta noticed the teen blush, but the boy just laughed it off and started heading up the stairs to leave the two adults alone. Bulma stood up to shut the T.V. finally feeling the effects of her day. She released an aggravated moan, her arms wrapped around her before she sighed. "I hate him," she growled. "I absolutely hate that idiot and I hope he runs that store into the ground. I can't imagine the others staying after everyone else was fired."

"Not that it's any of my business," Vegeta stated, "and you did seem to dodge the question earlier, but what did that bastard say that pissed you off so much?"

"Pretty much that," Bulma muttered.

"Come again?" asked Vegeta, confused.

Bulma sighed and looked away which she seemed to do any time she said something personal. "I already told you my father and I never had a good relationship," she began, "and basically he was hardly there. He and my mother were going to get married, but she ended up pregnant and he left, but he did ask her to consider an abortion. He was young, and I guess it was reasonable to him, but it didn't help when he called me illegitimate years ago effectively ending whatever relationship we had…"

Vegeta remained stoic, but inside he was pissed off, too. He didn't know how any parent, a father, could say that to their child, though his father had been pretty damn close to that. It made him wonder what her boss had said to bring this subject back up. Where Bulma seemed well together, he knew how detrimental a parent's negative actions were to a kid's mental health, young or old. "Anyway," Bulma continued, "when I marched into his office today, I was ready to let him have it. I told him the way he was running the company into the ground was appalling and that I no longer wished to be a part of it, and that by firing nearly my entire department put us so behind schedule he wouldn't be able to meet any deadlines and that all other businesses would pull out."

"Those are reasonable statements," Vegeta acknowledged. "You cannot expect a few people to run an entire company."

Bulma nodded. "At first he apologized and tried to offer me extra vacation time and a promotion, but that wouldn't accomplish anything. If he can't manage the finances now…it wasn't worth it."

"What did he say when you told him that?"

Bulma's expression grew unusually dark and angry that Vegeta could have sworn she was a different woman. "He got defensive and juvenile, picking at me, and when that didn't work, he attacked my son saying that he didn't care of the opinion of a woman who had a bastard son." Vegeta felt taken aback before his eyes narrowed into slits, his expression matching Bulma's. "He never knew my story or situation, nor did I ever inform him how Trunks was conceived. It wasn't his business, and the fact that he dragged Trunks into it hurt so much. When he saw that flicker of pain from me remembering my father calling me his illegitimate daughter, he dug deeper saying that I probably whored myself around and didn't know who Trunks's father was. That didn't even bother me. I simple walked out then, but I can't get over him calling Trunks such a degrading thing. My son exists because I wanted him, and where I don't know the father, I don't even care. Whoever that person was that donated, I'm thankful for them because I have the most amazing gift anyone could ever get. That creep saying that…I just…I can't-"

"You don't have to understand it," Vegeta assured her. "People like that need to tear others down to make themselves feel strong. My parents were both like that, my father worse than my mother. It sounds like your father and this new boss of yours did the same. Bulma, had it been me in that room, I would have been arrested. You showed more control and tact in the face of pressure, at someone digging into scars so deep that any normal human would have wanted to fight right back. Unlike you, I've never been able to walk away from a fight until it began. I can usually manage in business, but I've always had people to interject when someone starts going places when they really shouldn't be digging in. You know what, fuck the interview. I'm hiring you, here and now, to be the head of the research department as well as my anchor. We could use you in board meetings."

Bulma seemed incredibly shocked. "I…you're kidding me, aren't you?" she asked, though his eyes already held the answer. "I'm not a businesswoman."

"I don't need you to be a businesswoman," Vegeta told her. "I need your levelheadedness to keep me sobered when the idiots I deal with speak. That's all. Accept the job, Bulma. I refuse to hire anyone else."

She smiled genuinely, though she said nothing for a moment. It nearly felt like forever to Vegeta when Bulma answered, "Well, it's not like I have a job or anything, and the benefits are great. Plus, the boss seems really intent on having me, and I wouldn't want to disappoint. When would you like me to start?"

Vegeta smirked, loving that he had gotten his way.

"Tomorrow at ten, woman. Don't be late."

He said the last part with a wink.


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

So, I have to say after watching the Future Trunks arc of DB Super (spoiler to those who haven't been watching or paying attention to the arcs) today, I am pumped. So happy to be caught up! The feels, guys…the FEELS! Anyway, the start of the Trunks X Mai pairing won't be happening, I believe until next chapter. I have up to Chapter 10 written (well, Chapter 10 is almost complete. One more scene should do it). To be perfectly honest, I was skeptical about the pairing and never planned on using it ever, but it worked with this story, and that's why I put it as a secondary pairing. Still, after seeing the latest DB Super episodes, I have to say I can't not love the pairing now…yup, double negative talk. Anyway, if you haven't watched it yet, I really would. I'm surprised FFN hasn't been loaded with a ton of new stories, but I'm sure as more people get caught up or once the anime is released in other countries, it'll be a big thing. Anyways, one more chapter to move the story further. Enjoy all!

* * *

As she walked into her new office, Bulma felt a strange sense of pride. She had never had an office of her own before, organized the way she wanted. She had toured the research department and the testing lab impressed by all of the latest technology. She would be challenged here, and that was something that made her job more interesting. It would be like piecing together different puzzles, and that wasn't all.

For the first time in her life, Bulma was able to be part of the decision making. By demanding her presence in meetings, Vegeta also instructed her to offer her own opinions. Bulma wasn't a huge fan of meeting in general, but she was prepared. They couldn't possibly be like the meetings at her former place of employment.

"Good morning, Bulma!"

The blue-haired woman turned to see her brown-haired friend, Lime, who was smiling brightly. "It's good to see Vegeta hired you," Bulma replied. "How are you liking it so far?"

"I love it here!" Lime exclaimed. "And it's so great that you're here, too. A lot of the others are still in the interview process. I hope they get the job."

Bulma nodded. It was kind of funny how the former employees of her most recent job were all congregating to Ouji Corp. Of course, Bulma still didn't like the fact that her step-mother worked there. The woman was in a completely different department on the other side of the building and would be attending whatever meetings Bulma wasn't, so the chances of her running into the woman were scarce. At least things would be easier for her. Vegeta seemed to take her desires into account when he gave her the hours, starting after Trunks was well off to school and returning home before he got off the bus with the option to work from home if needed.

As for the meetings, she knew she would be attending her first with him and Raditz that afternoon after lunch, and Vegeta forwarded her time options for subsequent meetings. It was strange for her to have this much power at work, but she was thankful for it. Besides, it was so much better than working for her former boss's incompetent son. It was kind of funny how everything worked out, actually. Once again, her mother was right about life. She'd keep that to herself, though.

* * *

Trunks really enjoyed gym, mainly because it was one of the only classes where he got to see his best friend. His exam morning exams had gone well, and he couldn't wait to have a break. Gym was easy, kept them active. Sure, being graded on exercise was kind of stupid, and losing points because you refused to change was even worse, but Trunks just went with the flow.

In the locker room, Goten seemed strangely quiet concerning the lavender-haired teen. Usually his friend was upbeat and jocular, but he only go quiet and distant whenever he was worried about something. The two boys lingered in the locker room after everyone left before Goten let out a sigh and sat down on the bench. Trunks joined him, but didn't say anything. He knew Goten would start talking when he got his thoughts together.

"I'm failing history," he finally spoke, "and physics. Even with your mom's help on the homework, I still can't manage to figure out his test questions."

"I still don't know why your mom wanted you to take physics," Trunks grumbled. "You could have opted out of it and taken AP biology with me. You did well in biology."

"To be honest," Goten sighed, "I don't really thinks she gets that I can't think that way, and I'm also surprised your mom didn't force you into it."

Trunks laughed lightly. "Truth time…mom taught me a tiny bit from the first couple chapters of her book, and since I couldn't think through the problem, she just said I didn't have to take it. She knows how hard the class is, and you're right. You have to think a certain way to dissect a problem, and I can't do it either. You know, it's still early enough in the year that maybe you can switch to Earth science. It has some physics, but it's not crazy."

"Dad suggested that to mom, but she wants to wait and see the first progress report…and I'm failing." His spiky-haired friend shook his head in frustration releasing an angered growl. "I just don't get it! Why can't she just get it?"

"Mom said some people just don't understand mental illnesses," Trunks remarked, "not that you're really mental or anything… Anxiety is tricky, and people who don't have extreme anxiety don't really understand that it doesn't just leave you or that something like this can set you off. But you know your dad gets it, and my mom gets it, and I get it. We're on your side. I would talk to your dad first about the grade and let him deal with your mom. You can call him from my place after school. You were going to stay over to study, anyway."

Goten nodded. "Thanks, Trunks," he said. "Sometimes I don't see that option."

"Hey, what are friends for? Besides, you would do the same for me if the roles were reversed."

His friend couldn't argue with that and he finally smiled and was ready to cut loose at gym. "Alright, we better get out there before they mark us late," he suggested. "We have to make sure we write our names down for the new block next week. We still doing martial arts?"

"Hell yeah!" Trunks cheered. "I'll race you out there!"

Goten didn't try to race after his friend, simply walking behind. He hadn't really thought about leaning on his father. He had known the story of what happened to his grandfather, and he was afraid that he would push his father to the same point with his issues. Goten realized that his father did have more experience, and his friendship with Bulma was helpful. He knew his dad would be okay, even if dealing with his mother for Goten's sake stressed him out, because Bulma would be able to keep him centered. Goten was really lucky because he had the two adults who had decades of experience with this, and also his two really close friends who he could trust and confide in. Maybe his mom would ease up if Goten told her he'd take AP chemistry with Trunks the following year. A college course freaked him out, but at least he'd have Trunks to help him through it. He did like chemistry, and he would have only taken AP biology if he had Trunks to help him get through it. Maybe he'd take that with Valese senior year.

The teenager shook his head free of future thoughts. He had a really bad habit of getting lost in them and then stressing and panicking. He wished he could be like Trunks who even when stressed could force the thoughts back in the moment as they did something fun. At least they had running for one more week and could then try out martial arts. Both boys loved watching anime, and sometimes they'd try to mimic the moves and fights. It would be nice if they could do it right. With that thought, Goten eased up a little bit. He was ready to run. It always made him feel free. Running with his best friend, it definitely took his mind off a lot of things.

* * *

He was so ready to be done with work.

Vegeta paid very close attention to the presentation the stock guy was giving. The good thing was the company's production had picked up since Vegeta had taken over, but it hadn't taken off much. The manager of human resources attacked him saying that it was because of all the people he fired, not counting all of the new hires. Bulma had been the one to speak up and point that out, knowing that the majority of the positions had been filled by her former coworkers who were ready to actually work and build the company up.

"You cannot be serious," the finance director snapped. "You, yourself, are a new hire, and hardly know anything about the company. You also can't vouch for a bunch of people that still have yet to be trained for the position. The smart thing would have been to let go of a few bad employees and fill their positions instead of throwing a tantrum like a child and firing dozens."

Vegeta was fuming inside at the attack and was ready to say a few choice words to the man, but Bulma did what he had brought her on for, and dealt with the man calmly. "Why do things halfway?" she asked. "From what I saw from the news, most of them were extorting money from the company. Had Mr. Kurobushi let any of them stay, they could have siphoned enough money into their expense accounts and run the company even further into the ground.

"Furthermore, you're right on one account. I am new and I am still learning about the company, but I spent my first day looking into all of the past research and future projects that were already set in motion. This corporation was built on upgrading technology, and that's exactly what I'm here to do. If you had paid attention to the e-mail Raditz sent out to day, you would see that a partnership between me and the company has been formed so that the company could sell my patented inventions. As for the new hires I can't vouch for, I've worked with all of them. They know how to do their jobs and adapt to ever changing environments."

The director clamped his mouth shut and decided not to try to counter the woman's claims. Bulma looked to Vegeta who was smirking at her. He was very much entertained by Bulma's delivery of the big message, that the company could have gone under much faster. "Production shall continue to increase," Vegeta stated, his voice even. "Miss Hamasaki will be leading the engineering department with her former colleagues and some of our dependable engineers. Today, they were able to start production of some of her patents as well as the new model phone on which the team had been behind. It's safe to assume that by the end of the month, we should be at least halfway to the top."

The presenter nodded in agreement and said, "Yes, thankfully. You taking over as CEO had to be the best thing that could have happened for this company." The man shot a look towards the finance director. "Keep that in mind."

"I would say meeting adjourned," Raditz announced. "Next week, Bulma, would you mind discussing some of your projects and ideas with us?"

Bulma's heart thumped in her chest. What was Raditz thinking? He knew she was terrified of giving presentations. But she couldn't let the others see that weakness. The director had already called her capabilities into question. She had to agree and stand up for herself. Maybe that's what Raditz was trying to do.

"Sure, I don't mind," she remarked, keeping any distress out of her voice. "You saw my portfolio. Is there anything specific you want me to discuss?"

Raditz grinned. "Well, seeing as we're well into fall, I think you should focus on the leaf vacuum."

A few of the other men laughed at that, the finance director smugly saying, "A leaf vacuum? Are you serious? Who the hell needs that?"

"Enough, Paragus," Vegeta snapped. "Need I remind you that you're still on probation from not noticing the money siphoning in the company? You have no right to attack our new employee."

Bulma was thankful Vegeta stood up for her and, with a smile, she added, "Where the idea seems ridiculous, I guarantee that you will find the idea behind it useful."

The director, Paragus, stormed out of the room when he realized the woman wasn't going to give into his words. He had almost wished the woman hadn't been in the meeting, for he was certain their CEO would have proven his point. He was only a child in Paragus's eyes, and the man felt that with all his years of service to Ouji that he would have been made CEO. He had let the company fall in secret once the elder Vegeta had been diagnosed with cancer. As the illness consumed Vegeta, the company fell. Paragus was spreading the seed of doubt into the other employees' heads about the man's competency while acting as a friend and confidant to Vegeta in his time of need. The former CEO had said that Paragus was holding the company together and he would always be thankful.

For that reason, Paragus assumed the corporation would go to him instead of some entitled, estranged son that no one knew the CEO had. When Vegeta Kurobushi arrived, no one knew he was the son of the former CEO, despite his first name. They figured he was just some eager kid whose parents gave him the name of the wealthiest person on the planet. The head of business relations looked into Vegeta's past and not only found he had sold his multibillion dollar corporation years before, but that his original name was Vegeta Ouji, Jr.

Paragus had seen the man's temper during some of the meetings and realized pushing his short fuse could lead to him losing respect of the employees. When he had fired all the people he found guilty, everyone had been skeptical. Of course, he found a massive amount of new employees that were already mastering the ropes, all in the course of a week. It wasn't fair. This man who hadn't had the years of experience Paragus did shouldn't be running the company, especially not one who the former CEO had never discussed.

What did they really know about him?

* * *

Trunks and Goten had returned to the apartment after school, Goten having been able to ride Trunks's bus. His friend wanted to avoid his mother until he talked to his father, and he knew he mother wouldn't let him go to Trunks's even if it was to study. She'd most likely ground him until the grade went back up.

"Want a soda? Caffeine free just for you," Trunks offered with a grin.

Goten nodded. "Thanks, bro. I need sugar before we start studying for my math exam."

"You're gonna do fine," Trunks assured him. "You're grades in math and English are solid, and everything else is going well. I know you're worried about those other classes, but you can't right now. You'll talk to your dad and then let it go. We'll figure out what to do about the other classes later."

"Trunks?"

Both Trunks and Goten jumped, not expecting to hear Bulma's voice. "Your mom's home?"

"I forgot she started her new job today," Trunks replied. "I didn't even think to ask her when I ran out this morning."

The teen's mother came down the stairs and smiled at them. "Well, I had hoped to meet you at the bus, but I kind of fell asleep. Sorry about that."

"Nah, it's fine," Trunks replied. "Hey, mom, why are you all dressed up? Are you going out with Vegeta?"

A laugh escaped Bulma as she shook her head. "No, I was actually thinking of inviting Goku and his family over. I figured you four would like to celebrate with us."

Trunks remained silent, his concern for his paling friend growing. "Do we have to? I mean, I…I don't…I can't…"

"Mom, is it okay if you just invite Uncle Goku over?" Trunks asked. "Goten needs to talk to him. It's important and his mom can't know yet."

Bulma's eyes softened before she motioned for the boys to take a seat in the living room. She sat down with them, her hand reaching Goten's shoulder. "What happened?"

"I'm failing two classes," Goten sighed. "History and physics. Mom's going to kill me…"

"Oh, Goten, honey," Bulma soothed, "she won't kill you."

"She won't be happy…and will probably ground me forever. I…I can't do it. Physics is too much. I'm not sleeping because I stare at the homework we don't get to for hours, and then when I take the exams I freeze up. I just can't make sense out of any of it, and mom won't let me drop it."

"I told him he could still get into Earth science, and Uncle Goku had said that, too, but his mom is just nuts with this."

Bulma nodded. She understood Goten's fears and the fact that he didn't want to see his mom. "I'll tell your dad to come over for a bit and we'll find a solution. I promise, kiddo. Now, you came over to study. How about you and Trunks study down here, and I'll make you boys a snack. When your dad gets here, we can take a break. Is there anything particular you want for dinner?"

"You're asking me?" Goten questioned. "Why?"

"Because right now you should focus on making yourself comfortable and relaxed," the woman told him. "Take it from someone who knows, you can't study effectively when you're tense and panicked. You have to let go of everything, even a judgmental parent who seemingly wants you to be perfect."

Bulma left the two teenagers to get started on a snack for them when Goten looked at Trunks perplexed. "I…don't think she was talking about my mom…"

"You're right," Trunks responded. "She was talking about her father."

* * *

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Goku smiled. He had had a very productive day at work. It wasn't as busy as normal, so he was able to complete the list for the week which was helpful considering the next few days held a lot of appointments. He was ready to head home for the day and have a nice dinner with his family. His mind was already thinking about what Chi Chi would be cooking when his phone vibrated.

He went to answer the device seeing a text from Bulma lighting up his screen. His brows furrowed in concern knowing that Bulma didn't normally text him when he was at work unless something was wrong. _Can you come over tonight? Trunks came home with Goten and he needs to talk with you. He's struggling with school._

Goku's demeanor changed, his body tense. It honestly didn't surprise him. He was Goten's age when school became even more difficult. He had held the hope that Goten wouldn't suffer, at least being aware of his condition earlier and on medication, but even he knew it was only a matter of time before the stress of high school would get to him. Goku worried for his son, but he was determined to help him lighten his load.

 _Tell him I love him. I'll be right there. Got off early._ Right now, that's all his son needed to know, that his father loved him regardless of whatever was going on with school.

* * *

Having had a successful meeting, Nappa and Raditz wanted Vegeta to celebrate and they planned to go out to this high-class restaurant. It wasn't Vegeta's scene, but he heard the food was good. His mood was soured, though, when he attempted to bring Bulma along for the ride but she turned him down saying that her son's friend was struggling something and they were waiting for his father. He shrugged it off, however, considering they had only just started dating, but his mood soured at the thought that she was spending her night with another man.

Raditz had peeked over his shoulder and saw the text message becoming strangely quiet. Eventually, as the night progressed and Nappa left them alone for a moment, Vegeta couldn't stand the silence anymore. "What's wrong with you?" he asked.

His friend only shook his head. "It's nothing," he lied, but Vegeta simply crossed his arms and Raditz sighed. "Okay, fine. It's something. I saw the text from Bulma and I'm just worried about my nephew."

Vegeta's brow quirked. "How do you know she was talking about your nephew?"

"Well, one, she wouldn't blow you off if it wasn't," Raditz explained. "Second, there's an anxiety condition in my family. It skipped me and my nephew's brother, but my brother and Goten have both had to deal with it. We didn't find out about the condition until my brother first noticed signs and our dad tried to off himself. At the time, Bulma and Goku were really good friends, and she had helped him through a hell of a lot. She was even there for him when he thought he didn't want kids. He was afraid to tell our mother."

"Why didn't he want kids?" Vegeta wondered, especially considering that Raditz's brother had two.

"He was afraid he'd pass on the anxiety and he hadn't wanted to do that," Raditz explained. "It already affected his relationships pretty badly. Don't be bothered by this, but he dated Bulma back when they were both really young and it almost wrecked their friendship, too. He was a mess during the time Bulma had decided to keep her distance, mostly because he felt guilty. The same kind of crap that happened with her happened with his wife, and Bulma was the one who had to set the woman straight. She still doesn't get it, though, and puts way too much pressure on Goten. I'm worried because I feel like if she doesn't ease up, what happened to my father is going to happen to him."

Vegeta was actually a bit surprised that Raditz was confiding this kind of information with him. The man must have been really upset just from seeing the message. "Do you want to join them?"

Raditz shook his head. "I would be intruding. My brother needs to handle this, and Bulma and Trunks will pulled them both through it. It just bothers me that there's really nothing I can do for them and there's always a risk."

They both sat in silence for a little while, Vegeta not knowing what to say to help him. Of course, the conversation ended when Nappa returned. He was completely oblivious to the tension at the table as he told his tale of how he got the cocktail waitress's phone number. Raditz usually egged him on, but Vegeta caught him looking at his cell phone. It seemed his college friend was thoroughly concerned, hoping Bulma would be more forthcoming with information to Vegeta. Unfortunately, the woman was guarded, and Vegeta was starting to see why more and more. To ease both himself and Raditz, he finally replied, _Let me know how everything goes._ He figured she would. She always seemed to text him back eventually.

* * *

Goten was sitting at the table with Trunks, not focused on math since Bulma had told him his father was on his way. The woman frowned and met eyes with Trunks. She felt like she was looking not at a teenager worried about grades, but a man waiting to go to his execution, and that was something that worried her more than anything. This teenager, as crazy as it sounded, was having a much more difficult time than her friend did since finding out about his condition.

Interrupting her thoughts, the front door nearly slammed open and closed and Goku appeared in the kitchen. Goten looked up at his father, his eyes revealing his anxiety and fear. He was waiting for his dad to yell at him, even though it had never happened in the course of his life. Instead, his father rushed over to him and yanked him out of his seat for a hug. The teenager tensed, but eventually relaxed in his father's grip. "Don't worry," the man said. "Whatever you need, we'll do. I'll deal with your mother, whatever it is."

"I'm…" Goten tried, but the words failed him. "I…I can't-"

"It's okay," Bulma assured the teen. "Why don't we all sit down and talk this out? I'll break out some board games and snacks. We have time for you to get into this."

"No," Goten stated firmly, surprising all the others. Usually, when talks like this happened, he needed to loosen up first. The fact that he was denying their usual flow silenced everyone. "If…If we do that, I'll avoid talking about it. I just need a moment."

"Like I said," Goku spoke warmly while sitting down next to his son, "whatever you need."

Taking in a shaky breath, Goten nodded. He was silent for the longest few minutes before he said, "We got our progress reports today, and I'm failing two classes."

"Okay," Goku replied. "And?"

"What do you mean 'and?'" Goten asked in frustration. "Mom's going to ground me for life. You know how she is about grades. Last time I brought home a D, she said I couldn't go anywhere until I got the grade up unless I was being tutored here. I've been studying, dad, so hard, but I just can't do it. She won't let me come here if it's not helping. The only reason I'm at a high F in physics is because Aunt Bulma helped me with homework, but I don't know. I can't think like that. I can't do it!"

Goku's mouth was pressed into a firm line as he let his son expel his anger. He had warned Chi Chi that physics would be too much for him. He himself hadn't ever been any good at physics. It wasn't necessary for Goten to be put in that class. "What's the other class?"

"History," the teenager muttered. "I can't ever remember dates and I can't write the way the teacher wants. My papers all suck. The asshole says I should be put in a remedial history class. He makes me feel stupid, and in front of the class, too, and Valese."

"Hey, man, you know Valese doesn't believe that shit," Trunks countered, angry at the injustice done to his friend. His mother frowned at him for swearing, but she said nothing. She could understand Trunks's ire, so she was going to let it slide.

Goku's hand clamped down on his shoulder. "Look, I'll set up a meeting with your guidance counselor," he assured him. "Just me, and I'll get you put in Earth science. I'm also not happy about your teacher and how he treated you, so I'll take care of that, too."

"Dad, I don't want him to target me more-"

"He won't," Goku countered before his son could finish his thought. "Now, I won't talk to your mom about your progress report until I get you out of physics. Do you know anyone in Earth science that can help you through it?"

"Valese is taking it," Goten stated. "I'm an idiot. I should have just gone with her, but mom…why? Why did she want me to take it?"

"She thought it would help you be well-rounded," Goku explained, "but it's not working out, so we're gonna try something new. Now, I want you to go upstairs with Trunks while we go pick up dinner. Just rest, okay? Play some games or something, and I'll just tell mom you wanted to stay and study longer when I go home."

"I don't have to come home tonight?" Goten hopefully asked, his mood picking up slightly.

Goku looked over to Bulma who smiled. "I'm okay with it. I'll be here to wake you boys up tomorrow, anyway."

The teenager nodded and, with the serious stuff out of the way, he and Trunks headed upstairs to unwind from the anxiety of the day. Alone, Goku heaved a heavy sigh before pulling Bulma in for an unexpected hug. His grip was so tight that Bulma had to tell him to ease up, which he did and apologized. "Thank you for telling me," Goku whispered. "It could have been-"

"Don't think about it," Bulma reminded him. "Remember your therapist wants you to not think of negative could-have-beens. Goten is fine, and he will be."

"I know this is a lot to ask, especially since you started a new job and all, but is there any way you can go with me tomorrow? If I see that history teacher…you seriously might have to bail me out of jail."

Bulma hesitated. It was a lot to ask, mainly because if Chi Chi found out that Goku brought her to discuss their son with the school, she'd be pissed beyond all reason. They'd all recover eventually, but the stress it would put on Goku was unnecessary. "I don't think it's a good idea…"

"Please, Bulma," Goku begged. "I can't bring Chi Chi in on this, because she really wants Goten to stick with physics. I don't want him to come home even tomorrow until after I tell Chi Chi about me switching his class. It'll be better if she gets mad at me, because she accepts that I have issues. The really reason this is all happening…despite the fact that we know, Chi Chi is trying to convince herself that Goten is 'normal.' She's terrified that if she accepts this as truth, she'll had to admit that Goten could be a flight risk eventually. She doesn't want to think about it."

"As a mother, I get it," Bulma murmured, "but as someone who has seen this first hand, I know what needs to be done. But, Goku, she'll be pissed and might not ever forgive us."

"I'll deal with that," Goku assured her. "And I promise to tell you everything, but I need to do this for my son, and I need help."

Bulma nodded reluctantly. "Let me text Vegeta. I'll tell him I'll be a half-hour late. I'll text Raditz, too. He'll cover for me then."

Goku waited for Bulma to send the text and then they left to go pick up the pizza Goten wanted. The two travelled in silence, but Goku took Bulma's free hand as she drove the streets and squeezed it so hard that it actually hurt a bit. The woman couldn't ask him to ease up, though, knowing that he had reached his limit for the night. She could only hope that things would work out.

* * *

Nappa had left with the waitress leaving Vegeta and Raditz alone. They finished their meal silently, ordering a few drinks after. That was when the two of them received texts from Bulma. Vegeta's only asked if it would be okay for her to go in an hour later, and Raditz's text explained why. "Bulma is going to the school tomorrow with my brother so they can speak with Goten's guidance counselor."

Vegeta scoffed. "Doesn't your brother have a wife for that?"

"She won't help matters," Raditz grunted. "She doesn't understand the illness like Bulma does. Puts too much pressure on the kid."

"Why does Bulma need to go with him? What is she to him?"

"Just a really good friend who knows how to keep my brother calm and prevent him from making a scene," Raditz explained wryly. "She's probably going for moral support. His wife'll be pissed, but it's whatever. She'll get over it once Goten starts calming down."

"Tell her she has an extra hour," Vegeta responded. "If she's running late, tell her to text me and I'll push off the appointment with our new partner company."

Raditz nodded and did as Vegeta asked. Surprisingly enough, the long-haired friend of his thanked him. Vegeta couldn't understand why Raditz was thanking him. He realized that the man must have been really concerned even if he didn't appear it. He never spoke of his family, but now he seemed to feel comfortable in confiding with Vegeta. Maybe it was because he thought he'd understand, or maybe it was a warning in his pursuit of Bulma. To be honest, it wasn't a huge deal. Vegeta wasn't one to get jealous, like apparently Raditz had suspected, but he was honestly thankful for Raditz giving him more insight on the woman that intrigued him.

So far, bit by bit, he was becoming more interested in her.


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Well, because I'm so far ahead, and as I said in last night's chapter A/N, I really wanted to get to the Trunks X Mai pairing as well, and I was right that it was one chapter away. Besides, I got a guest review, which I appreciate, but all I can really say is I can't answer too much without giving stuff about the story away. Thank you for reading, though, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

* * *

His pacing was getting to her as they waited for their boys to get ready for school. Bulma had finished making breakfast and hoped that he would be distracted from his nerves. She wondered what he managed to tell his wife without giving away that he took a few hours off work to go speak with the school without her. The blue-haired woman sighed, feeling bad that she was going behind Chi Chi's back, but she was still, first and foremost, Goku's best friend and she needed to keep him calm.

"Goku, it's going to be fine," Bulma assured him. "You're making me dizzy."

Her friend jolted out of his stupor, sheepishly looking to his friend and finally sitting down. "Sorry," he sighed. "I just can't believe this is happening. I love my kids, but I never wanted this. I shouldn't have changed my mind."

"Goku," Bulma whispered. "Be careful what you say. If Goten ever overheard that, it would destroy him." Her friend nodded. "He loves you and is a good kid. I'm glad he and Trunks are best friends. I know this isn't ideal, but you cannot blame yourself for this. Even if you knew this would happen, would you change anything?"

Goku sighed and shook his head. "I love both of my boys," he replied. "They've taught me a lot, and they were such a great blessing. I just wish Goten didn't have to suffer."

"He's going to be okay," Bulma assured him taking his hand. Of course, that's when the heard footsteps and the trampling down the stairs. She smiled. "We'll table this for later. Right now, we have parenting to do."

The man chuckled and nodded, feeling a huge weight lifted at her joke. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks."

She smiled and got plates of food out for the boys. They sat down, Trunks trying to keep Goten distracted with random stories, and Goten smiling, but Goku could tell that it was forced. He patted Goten's shoulder, squeezing for reassurance, and his son flashed that smile his way, his eyes conveying his thanks. He knew that the day might be difficult, but at least he had all of these loving people around him. Everything was going to work out, he kept telling himself.

* * *

"Mr. Son," the counselor greeted, giving Bulma a stunned glare, "and Ms. Hamasaki. How nice to see you again. Are you here about your sons?"

"Just mine," Goku stated. "Bulma is here for moral support."

"Moral support?" the woman tsked, not at all keep her judgment to herself. Bulma just rolled her eyes and sat back. Goku could handle her for now.

"We've discussed in the past my son's condition," Goku started, "and I'm sure you know he's struggling in a couple classes. I want to get him out of physics. He doesn't want to be in that class anymore. Is it early enough that we can still switch him into Earth science with his friend? At least that way, he'd have someone to help him study."

"It is early enough, but your wife was very adamant about him taking physics," the counselor stated. "I'm not sure I'm comfortable going against her wishes, regardless."

Goku's temper started to flare up when Bulma stepped in. "Doesn't the school allow the students to choose their own classes? What happens when a parent wants to force their kid into a class they can't handle? The responsibility still falls on the student and an overwhelming pressure gets placed on them. I'm not sure if you realize, but this course is slowly killing Goten. Even when I help him on homework, he can't get that help on his tests. At least if you're going to force him to stay in a class, which by the way is only fulfilling a requirement and not anything he needs for the future, then you should make concessions and allow him unlimited time on homework and take home exams."

"That is not how we run things here, Ms. Hamasaki," the counselor snapped slightly. "And you cannot suggest anything about the child of another. It is not your place."

"The hell it isn't," Goku said, not able to hold back his frustration. "You don't have a right to talk to my friend that way. She came with me because I asked, so it is her place. My son is suffering right now, and you hold him responsible for the grades, so here is how this is going to work. You either let me change his science class, or you do exactly what Bulma stated or we're taking both our kids out of school and homeschooling them together. It would be so much better than this place."

"Now, let's not make any rash decisions," the counselor stated, waving her hands for the man to calm down. She couldn't believe they would take their kids out of school, especially when they were both on various sports teams. "If he can bring his grade up, I will consider-"

"No," Bulma stated. "If you do that, Goten is not going to survive and we will not put that stress and grief on our children. I agree with Goku. If you don't do this for his son, then I'm going to my son's class and walking out with him, and Goku will do the same."

"You can't take them out of school," the counselor countered.

"Legally, we can," Bulma stated. "Parents sign their kids out all the time, and if we tell them they will no longer be attending school here, there's nothing they can do about it."

The woman looked between both parents and saw that they were both determined. She knew from dealing with Bulma in the past that the mother could be a bear when she needed to be. It still bothered her that this man was going against the boy's mother's wishes, but she could deal with that once they left. "Fine. You can switch Goten out of physics. I'll let you watch me do it."

Goku nodded and went behind the woman, and she really did drop the physics class and put Goten in the class that Valese was in. Goku released a sigh of relief. The counselor then turned around and said, "Is there anything else?"

"Yes," Goku replied, glowering. "My son's history teacher has been bullying him." The woman looked surprised. "Whenever he gets a low grade, or makes a mistake, his teacher points it out to the whole class, embarrassing him and making him feel less of himself. Either do something about it, or I'll file harassment charges."

The counselor's mouth dropped open at the threat. Goku sounded incredibly serious and must have been taking tips from the blue-haired woman in the room. She had no doubt that he'd act upon it. "It will be taken care of," she assured him. "Now, have a nice day. I will send a ward to take Goten out of physics and bring him to the Earth science class right now."

"Thank you," Goku said, his countenance softening and personality changing. He looked to Bulma. "Thanks for coming. I'll talk to you later."

Bulma smiled and nodded and left without a word while Goku finished up with the woman. When he was gone and Goten was settled in his new class, the counselor picked up the phone and dialed the Son's number. "Yes, Mrs. Son. This is Goten's guidance counselor. I just wanted to fill you in on what happened just a little while ago… No, your son is fine, but I just had a little, impromptu meeting with his father. I wanted to discuss what we talked about."

* * *

Goten felt so relieved by the time he was in math class. His father had really come through for him, and he was now in science with Valese. She helped explain the things that he needed to catch up on when they did their independent work, and Goten found that he both understood it and enjoyed it. It was so much easier than physics where he could stare at a problem for fifteen minutes and still not know what to do with it.

Class hadn't started yet, and he and Trunks were just talking about the sports teams and also Goten's new class before one of their other buddies asked them if they were going to the homecoming dance. Trunks merely shrugged and said if he saw them there, that they were going. The guy laughed him off and went to talk with his friends waiting out in the hall.

"So," Trunks murmured, "you going to ask Valese?"

"What?" his friend shouted earning a few eyes. The boys remained silent until people looked away. "I can't do that. Trunks, she's one of my best friends. I like her, but what if she says no. It'll make things weird between us."

Trunks laughed. "It will not. You know she likes you, too. You're the one who keeps turning her down. Just ask her to the dance, and if you're so concerned, ask her to go as friends and see what happens. She won't turn you down."

"Yeah, well what about you?"

"What about me?" Trunks deadpanned.

"Are you going to ask anyone?" Goten elaborated.

Trunks looked behind his friend to see the new girl, Mai, sitting alone in the back of the room wearing a baggy, tan sweatshirt. She had come out of nowhere a couple days into school, and she hardly talked to anyone. Well, that was stretching it. She'd talk with some gal pals of hers and basically screeched at any guy that came her way trying to be friends. Trunks, though, was undeterred and usually said "hello" to her every time they passed each other. She always seemed so stunned that he spoke to her given her reputation in their school and the false rumors of her sleeping around at other schools, but other than telling him to just keep walking in a loud voice, she wasn't stopping it.

"I was thinking about asking Mai," he told his friend. "She doesn't know that many people here yet, and I figured she'd want to go."

"Are you crazy?" his friend shouted, once again gaining attention of everyone in the room including Mai. Trunks didn't seemed phased by the attention and just smiled and winked over at Mai who instantly looked down to her books.

"I'm not crazy," Trunks countered. "I just like her. Can't explain it."

Goten shook his head. "Then if you're going, you're going to be going alone and with a black eye."

"I'd like to think of it as purple and blue. I like those colors."

"Sometimes I don't understand you," was all his friend said before the bell rang and they took their seats.

* * *

After class, Trunks and Goten said their goodbyes and Trunks hung back in the room. His eyes flashed over to Mai who was always the last to leave class, slowly packing her books away. He grinned as he mentally gathered the confidence he needed to talk to the normally guarded girl. He finally got his courage and walked up to her desk right as she stood, slightly beaming as he casually said, "Hey."

Mai's eyes just narrowed, but she didn't look angry, just bored. "Trunks," she curtly greeted. "What do you want?"

Trunks felt instant relief that Mai didn't just shut down and walk away, but instead asked a question. This was his opportunity to have a full conversation with her. "Just to talk," he answered. "I haven't really asked how you like the school."

Mai sighed and shrugged picking up her books. "It's okay," she said starting to walk to the door. She glanced over her shoulder, as if expecting Trunks to join her. She blushed when he excitedly grinned and walked over to her. "I'm getting used to it."

"That's really good," Trunks continued. "Have you gotten involved with any activities? There's a bunch of clubs that are starting up."

The raven-haired girl nodded, still looking at the floor in front of her as they walked to their classes. "I'm joining the foreign language club. They apparently talk a lot about other countries and cook foods from them too."

"That sounds really cool!" Trunks exclaimed. "Maybe I'll look into it, too. Don't spread it around, but I kind of enjoy cooking." He winked at her, letting her know that he was only joking. Truthfully, he wouldn't mind people knowing, but his remark did make the girl chuckle softly.

"You're crazy," she whispered with a small smile. "So…what did you really want? Was it really just to talk, because honestly if you're just trying to get with me because of the rumors, I-"

"I don't believe the rumors," Trunks admitting, his brow furrowing, "and please don't insult me by comparing me to those types of guys. Yes, I have another agenda, but nothing like that. I did want to talk to you, and I also wanted to invite you to homecoming, as a friend only, and that's it."

Mai seemed to relax after that, not expecting her lavender-haired classmate to ask her to homecoming. She frowned, feeling a little bad for insulting him, but it's not like she was going to agree. "I'm not going," she remarked. "My stepfather doesn't like me going out at night."

Trunks's irritation disappeared, and he perked up a little bit. She wasn't saying no to him, but gave him some other reason. "My mom could call and talk to him if he's worried about who you'd be hanging out with, and I could take you home early. Would that work?"

Mai blushed. She honestly thought he'd leave her be after she mentioned her stepfather, but he seemed highly unaffected. It wasn't that she didn't want to go, and she didn't really have a problem with Trunks, but her stepfather would never go for it. "Unfortunately, I don't think so," she reluctantly admitted. As they reached their two classes, across the hall from each other, she added, "But thank you for inviting me. I hope you have fun."

Trunks watched as she walked away feeling empathy for the girl. He glowered at the door once it closed. He could tell from her words that she really wanted to go. Whoever her stepfather was couldn't really bar her from going to a dance if she really wanted to go. Maybe he could think up a way to get her there. He did have a couple weeks to figure something out.

* * *

Earlier, when Bulma and Goku left the school, they both felt a huge weight lifted from their shoulders. "See, I told you it would be okay," Bulma teased, a smile on her face.

"Yeah, yeah," Goku muttered, though he laughed after. "Seriously, thank you. I didn't even think about demanding take home exams. That would have been good, too, just in case. That way if he couldn't figure something out, he could look it up or ask you."

"Doesn't even matter," the woman assured him. "He's in Earth science with Valese, and she'll help him get settled."

"I'm really thankful he has that girl and Trunks," Goku replied. "I'm lucky I had you, but for him to have two friends to help him through it…"

Bulma just hummed a comforting, "Mm." She was also very thankful that Goten had a larger support system than Goku did. She and his mother had been his pillar, but that was it, and at times Goku didn't confide as much in his mother as he did with her. He never wanted to add to the woman's stress on top of them caring for his father, so Bulma handled the brunt of it. Goten had not only his father and herself, but Trunks was understanding and Goten had found a friend who comforted him in similar ways that she had done for Goku in their younger years. A smile of fondness lit her face.

That only lasted for about a second.

A cab sped into the lot and drove right in front of Bulma's car. It shocked both Bulma and Goku when Chi Chi angrily got out of the car, nearly throwing the money at the driver. He drove away, and her attention turned to the two friends who both looked like they had seen a ghost. Her eyes cut to Bulma. "How dare you?" she groused, her voice sounding low and dark. "How could you do this? You completely overstepped your bounds."

"Chi Chi, listen," Goku tried, his voice gentle, but his wife wouldn't have it.

"Don't start, Goku!" she snapped. "Right now, I'm dealing with her. You I'll deal with later after your shift."

"But Chi Chi, I-"

"What do you have to say for yourself, Bulma, huh? I've given you the benefit of the doubt, and then you go and do this behind my back."

Bulma took a deep breath and said, "Chi Chi, I'll explain, but you have to calm down. The three of us can go back to my place and talk this out before we have to head to work."

"I am not setting foot in your place until you tell me how you could betray me."

Bulma had to force herself not to roll her eyes at that. After she and Chi Chi had become friends, the woman seemed to forget that Bulma was Goku's friend first. Whenever Goku didn't agree with her, she wanted Bulma to agree and then convince Goku to give in, even if it was something small. She would always be irritated at the times Bulma didn't agree and refused, feeling betrayed. That, unfortunately, was on her and not on Bulma.

"Chi, look," Bulma huffed slightly, "Goten was struggling, and he wasn't handling it well. He came home with Trunks last night to study and he looked like someone walking to their death. He was so scared, Chi Chi, that you were going to go nuts at him because of the grades he was getting. We tried to talk him down, and he only calmed down a tiny bit after he told Goku about everything and we offered him another option. He _wanted_ to take Earth science because physics honestly wasn't right for him. I did give the counselor the idea to give him take home exams and extra time on work, but she refused. All of the options were exhausted, Chi."

The dark-haired woman quieted down, but she still held Bulma's eyes with her glare. "There was another option. You could have told me and let me figure out how to deal with _my_ family. I've never overstepped by boundaries with you or Trunks, and I expected you to give me the same courtesy. We are done. I don't want you near me or my family ever again."

"You can't make that decision," Goku stated, his voice cold and angry startling both women. Chi Chi finally looked over to him and saw that his fists were clenched and he was doing everything to hold back, forcing his voice to stay even instead of yelling. "Bulma is my friend, and she only came because I asked her. Chi Chi, this is on me, not her. She almost refused, but I begged her to come. She does care about you, and she warned me you'd be upset, but she has always been my friend and there for me when I needed her. I love you, but you have got to be more understanding. I know you don't want to admit that our son has a problem, but he does and we all have to work together to help him through it."

Chi Chi's expression softened, the last of her anger leaving her as she sighed. She looked to Bulma, still skeptical. "You really told him I'd be upset?"

"Chi, I'm not an idiot," the woman replied. "I know how things work in most relationships. I wasn't trying to undermine you, or even get in the way. I only offered advice, and backed Goku up when he threatened to take Goten out of the school and homeschool him. At the thought of losing both their star football and basketball players, they backed off. I'm sorry you found out this way, but Goku was really going to tell you tonight."

"I…" Chi Chi whispered, "I thought…"

"I know," Bulma consoled, rubbing the woman's shoulder. "And I'm sorry, too. I was just trying to help."

"You did help," Goku assured Bulma, frowning at his wife. "And I'll be damned if I let you get punished for it."

"Goku," Bulma sighed, "relax. Chi Chi's not really angry about our friendship, right?"

"No," Chi Chi promised. "I was just a bit angry. I didn't mean what I said, and I'm sorry." Goku finally relaxed, looking highly surprised. "To be honest, as long as Goten is happier, I just have to accept there are things he can't handle." She looked to Bulma. "Was he really afraid I'd be angry at him?"

"He thought you would ground him and not let him go out or visit us," Bulma admitted.

Chi Chi closed her eyes and shook her head. "I grounded him one time for failing, but I haven't done it since. I didn't think he'd always think…"

"He hasn't failed like this," Goku explained. "Then, it was because he wasn't doing his homework, and he started asking Trunks for help then. It was such a normal thing for a kid to do, that it appeared like he was rebelling, but he wasn't Chi. During that time, that's when he was diagnosed, and you seemed okay with it but still didn't lift his grounding. He's been struggling with school for a while, panicking on exams. That's why I always let him go to Bulma's to study, because it feels so different studying with someone who can also distract him when he gets too wound up."

"I screwed up; I get it," Chi Chi huffed. "Don't rub it in."

"He's not, Chi," Bulma reassured. "It's difficult sometimes, and we understand that. Like Goku said, we just need to work together. As long as _none of us_ push Goten, then we're all in agreement, and misunderstandings like this won't happen. I'm sorry that you feel we excluded you, and I will take a step back if you want and-"

"But Bulma, I-"

"Goku, Chi Chi understands now," she explained, "and she's Goten's mother. You guys need to work on this stuff together, and Trunks and I will continue to help Goten with his studies and if he wants to get away. I'll also be there, for the both of you, if you need advice or to vent. Today was a special case because Goten wanted reassurance. Now that it's all over, and his classes are dealt with, the two of you should talk with him."

"How about tonight?" Chi Chi offered. "You and Trunks can bring him home, and we can all have dinner. I mean, we all love Goten, so we should all be there for him to reassure him. Is that okay?"

Bulma smiled at the woman. "Yeah, we can do that," she promised. "Now, I'll drive us back to my place so you and Goku can get the car, and you two can just go out and relax before he goes to work. I have to relieve Raditz, and I have about twenty minutes to get through traffic."

"Sounds like a plan," Goku stated warmly. "And, again, thanks Bulma."

"Yes, thank you," Chi Chi interjected. "Honestly. I'm glad that you were there for both of them. My attitude and yelling didn't necessarily help my case on how I would have reacted if Goten told me."

"It's okay, Chi," Goku finally said, assuring his wife. "And I am sorry, but I just thought it was best at the time."

"I get it, really, but we have to be a team on this."

Goku took his wife's hand in his, holding it to his lips and kissing it. "I promise. We are."

Bulma got into the car and let the two alone to have their moment. She smiled, thankful that Goku was finally ready to put his trust in his wife. That was what she always wanted for him, though she did feel bad that it had to come to this point. At least she could relax now. Goten was safe, Goku and Chi Chi were okay, and now she could focus on her son and her job. She was really thankful that Vegeta was so great regarding everything that had been happening to her lately. To be honest, if she were him, she would already be gone.

* * *

Soon after she dropped Goku and Chi Chi off, Bulma went into work thanking God that the traffic was virtually nonexistent. She got in just in time, relieving Raditz from her duties. The older man didn't leave right away though, as she got to work on coming up with ideas for new company projects. "Is Goten okay?"

Bulma paused for a second before looking her friend's brother in the eye. "He is. And Goku and Chi Chi are okay, too. Stupid counselor called her though saying that the two of us were sneaking behind her back, not letting Goku talk to her later."

"That bitch," Raditz growled. "Goten told me once that she gave him a hard time over some stupid standardized practice test. It wasn't her place to do anything."

"It also wasn't really my place to go," Bulma admitted.

Raditz shook his head. "I get it, though. You know how to handle people. Goku doesn't. I know he loves Chi Chi, but she wouldn't have listened at first."

Bulma chuckled. "She did admit to that. But anyway, it's over now. There's no reason to be worried."

"I wasn't worried," Raditz grumbled, pouting and crossing his arms, causing Bulma to laugh. "Anyway, thanks. I know it probably wasn't easy for you, either."

The woman shrugged. "What can I say? I'll survive."

"I just want you to know that I told Vegeta about yours and my brother's friendship and a little bit about the condition." Bulma stopped typing. "I hope that was okay."

A smile was his answer. "Raditz, it's not a huge secret. Besides, I'm not worried. I'm sure Vegeta understands."

"Right," Raditz replied. "Anyway, I'll let you get to work. Let me know if you need anything."

"Thanks, Radi."

"Oh God, not that again."

As he rounded the corner, he could still hear the woman's snickering, chuckling himself at her antics. Her positivity was something to be admired, especially given everything she had experienced.

* * *

Trunks and Bulma returned home after dinner at the Sons. Goten had honestly been a little nervous about going home, but then his mother set him and Gohan straight saying she was proud of both of them no matter what their grades were or their struggles. Where that had mostly been for Goten's benefit, Gohan ended up confessing that he had been skipping school because he was being picked on. He was getting all of his work done, and his teachers believed that his parents had been aware of him cutting. Both parents had a lot to deal with that night.

At least Goten had been reassured and wasn't afraid to show his mom the progress report and tell her what had been happening in school. Chi Chi couldn't believe her son had been suffering with this alone. Well, not completely alone. The woman's eyes met Bulma's as she and Trunks headed out. They spoke of how thankful she was that the other woman and her son had kept Goten calm when he was too afraid to talk to her. Bulma simply nodded and ushered Trunks out the door. Trunks looked up at his mom beaming. Chi Chi only wished that both of her boys could be that happy.

At Bulma's place, the woman found her brother unconscious on the couch, the television still on. She moved to place a blanket over Tarble, taking the remote from his hand and shutting the T.V. Trunks tiptoed to the staircase and eyed his mother, gesturing to the upstairs. Bulma silently chuckled and followed her son up the stairs and to her room. It was still somewhat early, and she was sure Trunks still had a bit of homework to do since they went over to the Sons right after school.

Bulma took out some of her work, using her research that day to start blueprinting an idea she had. Trunks gathered his workbooks and sat beside her. The television in her room was on just for the background noise that the two seemed to work best with. Trunks started breezing through his math problems while Bulma pondered an equation. Eventually, she got tired of the quiet and asked, "So, how was your day today?"

"Okay, I guess," Trunks responded earning his mother's full attention at his ambiguous answer. The boy sighed and said, "I finally got Mai to talk to me."

The mother smiled. "Well, that's progress, huh? What did you kids talk about?"

"I asked her if she liked the school, and she said she was going to join foreign language club. Would you mind if I joined, too? They meet every other Wednesday."

"I think it would be cool and different, definitely something colleges will look at," Bulma answered. "And I think it would be nice for you to get to know her more."

Trunks nodded, but then he frowned and glared at his workbook. "I asked her to homecoming."

"Oh?" Bulma murmured inquisitively. "And how did that go?"

"She sounded like she wanted to go," Trunks nearly growled, "but she said her stepfather wouldn't let her go out at night. I offered for you to call and maybe talk to him, but she said it wouldn't work. It's not like the dance is unchaperoned or anything."

"Hey," Bulma said quietly, placing her hand on her son's shoulder. "Just give her some time. If she really wants to go, maybe she'll talk to her stepfather and he'll let her go. For now, just keep trying to talk to her. She clearly wanted to or she wouldn't have given you that kind of personal information."

"She's so guarded," Trunks stated, nodding. "I hate to say this, but she honestly reminds me of you a little bit."

"Me?" the woman asked. "How so?"

"Mom, Vegeta is the first guy you've talked to since you had me," Trunks pointed out. "I know your father was horrible to you and you have reason to be guarded. That's what has me worried. What if she's so guarded because her stepfather is emotionally abusing her?"

Bulma frowned, understanding her son's concern. "If that's the case, then she'll tell you when she's ready. The fact that she already started talking to you is a very good sign. Just continue to be her friend. Believe me; she will come to you eventually."

Trunks couldn't deny what his mother was saying. He knew that she was older than him and knew people well, especially those dealing with similar issues to her in the past. He trusted his mom's analysis, and decided to focus on his schoolwork. Still, for the rest of the night until he had fallen asleep, he couldn't get his concern for Mai out of his head.


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Thank you to everyone for the reviews on the last chapter :) I really appreciate the feedback. I answered all the reviews except the one guest review. I'll acknowledge that reviewer here, if only to assure them that I have no intention of giving up this story. To be honest, I've already gotten like five chapters ahead. This past week, though, was a slow writing week because I had a cold, or else I probably would have had more. That and a Pokémon Nuzlocke Challenge is keeping me busy…

Anyway, here's an update in the meantime while I work.

Enjoy!

* * *

The rest of the week went by without an incident. Goten still had his every day anxieties, but he was conveying them more to his mother and father as well as his friends. Gohan, after telling his parents what was going on in school, started hanging out with his brother and Trunks more often. Both Goku and Chi Chi had met with the guidance counselor regarding both their boys, and the woman had been surprised that Chi Chi agreed with switching Gohan into Goten's gym class.

Someone else was also softening as well as the Son boys. Trunks took his mother's advice and continued talking with Mai. She never sent him away, and would walk to classes with him. Trunks took it as a positive sign and even spoke with her more during their classes. During gym on Friday, they were all the last ones out of the locker rooms. The Sons headed to check in with the teacher leaving Trunks to wait for Mai as she exited the changing room in her usual brown sweatshirt. "Hey."

Mai eyed Trunks and smiled, whispering back, "Hey. What's up?"

Joy radiated from Trunks as the girl responded so positively. They had come such a long way in a few days. "Not much. So, last one out, huh?"

"I could say the same about you," she replied nonchalantly.

"Mm," Trunks hummed. "So, Happy Friday. You doing anything this weekend?"

The girl didn't know why he was asking, but that morning she had received the best news she had heard in a long time. That morning, her stepfather had told her that he would be out of town until the following weekend. It meant that she had some more freedom, and since the dance was the following Friday, the day before he returned home, she'd be able to go. "Nothing really," she answered, "but my stepfather is going away. If…If your offer still stands, I think I can go to the dance next weekend since he won't be here." She noticed Trunks studying her, looking slightly peeved. "W-What?"

"You're being left alone all week?" he asked sounding a bit concerned. Trunks knew that they were teenagers and could take care of themselves when needed, but he never heard of anyone their age being left home for extended periods of time. What if something happened or there was an emergency? "Can I give you my house number?"

"Why?" Mai asked, instantly confused by the abrupt question.

"Just in case you need anything or anything happens, like injuring yourself or something," the boy said not noticing Mai wincing. "If mom ever needed to leave me for a couple days, she made sure I was being checked on and had contact numbers for our family and friends in case something happened and I needed help. Usually she left me with a friend or my grandmother. I'm sure your stepfather probably left you with some way to contact someone, but I'd just feel comfortable if I knew you had us, too."

Stunned, the girl nodded numbly, and the two joined their other classmates. She honestly didn't know what to say or think considering no one had ever made that offer to her before, not even the group of girls she hung around with during school hours. Trunks had only been a part of her life for a couple of days, and he was concerned for her, and rightly so. She didn't have the heart to indulge him with her life story, but truthfully her stepfather left her quite often, and she didn't usually have anyone else to contact. Part of her felt relieved that her behavior, her shield, had not pushed Trunks away. She realized that she needed a friend like him.

* * *

At the end of the day, everyone met up at Gohan's and Goten's locker area, including Mai who felt slightly out of place. "So, movie night, tonight?" Valese asked, looking to Trunks.

The lavender-haired teen nodded. "Yeah, mom's ordering wings tonight, and Gohan's and Goten's mother made us chocolate caramel popcorn."

Gohan smiled slightly. "Yeah, she wanted to make sure we were prepared."

"Did you ask Videl if she wanted to come?" Goten teased his brother.

Gohan simply sighed and looked over to the dark-haired girl who was chatting with her friends. "Seriously? I can't talk to her."

"Why not?" Trunks questioned, his brow furrowing. "She's just a person."

"Yeah, but look at her, and then look at me. We just wouldn't go well together."

Valese leaned over to Mai, surprising the girl. "I bet you fifty bucks they're together by the end of the year," she said winking at the quiet girl.

Mai had been surprised to be included in the conversation at all. She figured where she was Trunks friend, that the others would ignore her. She never did or said anything to disprove rumors or act welcoming to other individuals. Part of her felt like this strange group was just that…strange.

Trunks was getting fed up with all of his friends being so skittish around the people they liked. A mischievous smirk lit his features, and only Mai noticed wondering what he was going to do. "Hey, Videl!" he called over, making Gohan freeze and the girl stare over at them with confused, blue eyes. "Come here!"

"Trunks, what are you doing?" Gohan hissed, hitting his head against his locker door as he stood up abruptly. Goten did his best not to laugh that he had to turn to Valese and silently chuckle against her shoulder.

Videl bid her friends adieu and then walked over to the group, huffing. "Yes?"

"Hey Videl," Valese greeted waving, trying to get Goten off of her even though he was still laughing. A new wave of laughs happened as the girl glanced over at Gohan who was rubbing the bump on his head.

"Hi," the girl deadpanned. "What do you want?" She then eyed Mai who felt self-conscious under the girl's scrutiny. Videl's eyes narrowed. "Didn't think I'd see you of all people with this crew, Mai Tai."

Mai instantly felt angry. "Mai Tai" had been a cruel nickname given to her by the guys from other schools who implied she was loose. It became public knowledge and it bothered her whenever she heard it. She could help but strike back. "Who asked you, Satan?"

Videl rolled her eyes. "It's pronounced Saw-tan," Videl corrected with a scoff. Her attention went to Trunks. "What?"

"We're having movie night at my place tonight," he stated, ignoring all the tension around him. "Want to join?"

"Can't," Videl countered, looking at Mai again. "Not sure if I'd like the company."

This time, Trunks couldn't sidestep it. "Videl, Mai is my friend, so please don't say things like that," he said sternly, surprising Videl. "It would just be the six of us if you came, but if you don't want to because of one person it's your loss."

Videl sighed and then flashed a sympathetic look to Mai. "Sorry. Had a bad day, and I shouldn't have said that."

"It's fine," Mai lied. She then looked to Trunks. "What did you mean six of us, anyway?"

"Your stepfather's out of town, right? I figured you'd want something to do."

Mai frowned slightly, not having expected him to say that. "I…I need to go home, Trunks," she told him. "But I'll call you later."

She didn't let him respond as she left the group, clutching her bag. Mai shook her head in disbelief. Trunks was calling her a friend, defending her, trying to include her in something completely separate from her life. She couldn't let that happen, couldn't let him in completely. She had to be alone. Still, it was hard when someone actually seemed to care about her.

* * *

Bulma was finishing up for the day, saying goodbye to Lime as they passed through the halls. It had been a good day, and now she would get to go home and spend some time with her brother, son, and her son's friends. Trunks had texted her at lunch, really excited that he would be able to invite Mai. His enthusiasm had put a smile on Bulma's face, even when Paragus accosted her in the halls to demand progress reports on her work. She simply grinned at the man and explained that any progress reports went straight to Vegeta and he would need to take it up with him. Besides, he was in a completely different department. She didn't answer to him.

Raditz had witnessed the whole thing and reported the incident to Vegeta, cracking up. "You should have seen the look on his face," he said before laughing again. "Bulma certainly knows how to handle herself."

"She does, indeed," Vegeta agreed, a smirk plastered on his face. "I'm glad you vouched for her."

"Oh please, you would have hired her anyway," Raditz joked, rolling his eyes. "Speaking of, how are things going between you two?" Vegeta looked at him like he was crazy. "Come on. You've shown more interest in her than any casual fling you've had in the past. Rumor has it you took her on a coffee date."

"The hell told you that?" Vegeta snapped.

Raditz chuckled. "Surprisingly, my brother, which means she's into you, too."

"How do you figure?" the flame-haired boss scoffed, leaning back in his seat, arms crossed. "Enlighten me."

"Well, she may not have given him much information about you, but I know for a fact that Bulma would only tell my brother about guys she was interested in pursuing. To be honest, before you, she's only talked about one other guy and that was before Trunks was even born. He left when she told him she wanted to be a mother."

Vegeta scoffed. "Winner."

"Right?" Raditz chuckled. "Look, I was at the house the other day when she told him, and when I heard him exclaim 'coffee date' I knew he could only be talking about you. So what's the deal? You're usually not one to take women out on coffee dates. I saw you in college, remember?"

Vegeta did remember, and Raditz had a point. He never was interested enough in the female species to get to know one over coffee. There was something about Bulma that he couldn't explain, but he wanted to get to know her. Something about her had attracted him, and it wasn't just her beauty. Vegeta was never one to fall for women, but he couldn't argue with his subconscious. He actually liked seeing her as a mother, which was strange to him, and he was attracted to her intelligence. It surprised him when she called herself out on her first week, a pretty bad week that she handled better than most people. After things had quieted down in her life, Vegeta got to see her in her true charm.

The other day, he had gone to pick her up for their official dinner date, Trunks again answering the door before heading back to the kitchen to work on his homework. Bulma was already ready to go, descending the stairs cool and collected. She went to give Trunks a kiss goodbye, helping him figure out a problem he was stuck on in seconds before she was out the door with Vegeta. Dinner had been nice, their conversation casual and light. They talked about nothing serious or work-related, and he listened as she relayed funny stories from her childhood that would normally make a person appear foolish. Vegeta had never really laughed much before in his lifetime, but with her it was like second nature. Her sarcasm and wit matched his own, at times.

Vegeta shrugged, answering Raditz's question. He couldn't explain the change in him, and he really didn't care to dissect it. Truthfully, he just wanted to end his day already and meet Bulma before she left. "We're done for the day," he told his friend. "Go home."

Raditz's brow quirked, but he simply smirked. "I get it. Just, Vegeta, with this one…slow and steady wins the race. Trust me on that."

His boss and friend nodded before logging out of his computer and heading to the lobby. Bulma had just made it down as well and smiled at him, waving him over. He smirked and casually strode to her side. "Did you have a good day?" she asked him.

"It was fine," he returned. "Heard Paragus was giving you trouble."

Bulma laughed. "Yeah, trouble, sure," she teased. "I was perfectly fine."

"I know."

She beamed slightly from the compliment as they walked side by side. The two traveled to her car before Vegeta finally asked, "Are you free tonight?"

The smile never left Bulma's face even as she turned him down. "I'm sorry, I'm not. My son has his friends coming over for movie night. I'm chaperoning."

Vegeta chuckled when she winked. "Sounds like a good evening."

He couldn't guess that Bulma was debating whether or not to invite him or not. She had been doing a good job of keeping her past concealed. Vegeta still had no idea that her father was Trunks Briefs or that her stepmother was working for him. She knew that if Vegeta and Tarble met, something would come out. Vegeta knew she had issues with her father, but she couldn't let him find out. Still, it was foolish to hide herself and her family, especially since her father couldn't hurt her anymore. Besides, if it came out, she trusted Vegeta not to say anything. If it happened, the two of them could have a mature conversation about it. She wasn't a little girl who needed to fear others finding out. "Would you like to join us? We're having wings tonight."

He thought about it for a moment, but he wasn't sure he wanted to be surrounded by a rambunctious group of teenagers. As if reading his mind, Bulma added, "Don't worry. We can sneak out to the balcony and have a few drinks. We don't need to watch them like hawks."

"Hm." Vegeta grinned. "Sounds decent. What time should I come over?"

"How about now?" Bulma offered, a hopeful smile on her face.

It was true that Vegeta had been over to her place before watching a movie with her and her teenage son, but she rarely offered for him to come over, and he wasn't comfortable with even inviting her to his place. For the first time in Vegeta's life, he didn't know how to proceed with her intimacy-wise, and that challenge made the relationship all the more exciting. "Why not?"

She unlocked her car, and her face expressing child-like glee as she giggled and blushed awkwardly letting herself in her car. Vegeta grinned and rolled his eyes as he got into her passenger seat. It was a strange feeling for him to be in the front seat of a car. It had been a long time since he drove anywhere himself or took a cab. His attention shifted to the blue-haired woman as she fiddled with the radio and set it to a rock station. She began to pull out and started the drive back to her apartment, but even though the ride was fairly silent Vegeta could see her tapping her wheel to the beat of the music. He closed his eyes and rested the whole way.

* * *

Mai let herself into her house, looking around the street warily as she entered. The living room still looked like a warzone from her stepfather's game that morning. She glared at the scene and turned away from the room ignoring the way the chains dangled from the ceiling. All she wanted was a shower.

She was in the safety of her room, getting undressed and locking her bathroom door. It was the only room she could be safe in. Eyeing herself in the mirror, she frowned at the bruises on her arms. Her torso and stomach were bandaged, though it looked like she hadn't bled through. She sighed in relief. At least she had a week of peace to look forward to. By the time the dance came she would mostly be healed.

As she washed her bruised skin, she thought about Trunks and the way his face fell when she walked away from him and his friends. He had looked so hurt, and she had been the cause of that. It was so nice of him to want to include her in his group of friends and life, but she couldn't let herself get too close. She couldn't let him know.

After finishing her shower, Mai figured she could watch some T.V. to distract herself, though she only had the living room to go to. She couldn't believe her stepfather had left his stuff all around. It was bad enough she had to deal with it that morning.

A knock on the door paralyzed her. She didn't know who would be there, so she checked out the kitchen window and sighed in relief when she saw it was her stepfather's brother, and her mother's best friend. "Pilaf," she greeted, her voice sounding content. "Where's Shu?"

"I left him at home," Pilaf replied smiling. "The vet wanted him to rest after starting a new antibiotic."

"Poor puppy," Mai said with a chuckle. She hesitantly looked over at the living room. "I'm sorry, but Zarbon didn't really clean up before he left."

"Figures," Pilaf scoffed before looking at the girl with sorrowful eyes. "Mai, I'm so sorry. I never thought-"

"None of us did," the girl assured him. "You thought he would be good to my mom. How were you to know your brother was a sadist?"

Pilaf sighed. "When your mother died, I couldn't believe that he sued for your custody. If he was going to treat you like shit, he should have let them take you to the foster home. I could have tried to get you out of there."

"It is what it is. Besides, he wanted a toy to play with, and I'm fine, anyway."

"Mai, be honest," Pilaf huffed. "You're a prisoner here." The girl didn't answer, and her silence was the only confirmation he needed. "Is there anything I can do for you? Somewhere you want to go while he's gone? I can take off work and-"

"No, don't do that," Mai negated. She thought about it for a moment, though, and could only think of Trunks's movie night. "Pilaf…is it safe for someone in my position to make friends?"

Pilaf looked at her, slightly surprised. "When it's Zarbon, I'd say don't let him know about them, but honestly, kid, you deserve to make friends. Why?"

"Can you take me to a friend's house tonight? He's having a movie night with a bunch of his friends and invited me."

"Will there be supervision?" Pilaf asked skeptically.

"Yeah, his mom will be there," Mai assured the man.

"Are you going to be able to get home all right?"

"I'll be fine, and if not, I'm sure his mom would drive me home."

"If you have to, stay over and just text me, okay?"

The girl smiled and nodded to her mother's friend. "Thank you, for looking out for me, I mean."

Pilaf's eyes were guarded and cold as he stared at her. "Mai, you're going to get out of here one day. I promise."

She really hoped he was right.

* * *

Trunks and his friends were all set up in the living room sitting on the couch and on bean bag chairs Trunks and Goten dragged out of the closet. Gohan started to get the snacks out, and Videl moved to help him, the two exchanging sheepish smiles. Trunks's attention shifted to the kitchen where his mother was standing with Vegeta. The two of them seemed so laid back, and he heard his mother giggling every so often. A smile graced the teenager's face. He was glad his mom was finally seeing someone, especially someone who seemed as cool as Vegeta.

He looked back over to his group of friends and frowned. He really wished Mai hadn't left so abruptly. If she didn't want to come to the movie night, it was fine, but she just seemed so distant and upset when she left, almost like the day he asked her to the dance. "Bro, you okay?" Goten asked and Trunks was startled. He usually didn't ponder stuff too much around his friend. They talked stuff out, but Trunks normally had a handle on his emotions.

"I'm fine." His friend didn't look convinced. "No, seriously, I'm fine. I'm just worried about Mai, that's all."

Videl had come up on them while they were talking, and however quiet they were she overheard. "Why would you be worried about her? She seemed fine when she left."

Trunks looked at Videl and sighed. "You don't like her, do you?"

"I don't like girls _like_ her," Videl countered before she released a sigh herself. "I had a friend like her before, only she really was like that. I shouldn't have given her grief because of rumors. I mean, with my last name, I get it all the time. Like I said, it was a bad day, and I'm sorry if I scared her off."

"I'm sure you weren't the reason she left," Goten tried to assure the girl. He looked to Trunks. "She probably had other reasons, right?"

"Yeah," Trunks answered, his voice sounding empty. It had to be related to her stepfather, but she had said he was out of town. Part of him wondered if there was more to it than that when he heard a knock on the door. "Hm, maybe that's Uncle Tarble. You two go join the others."

Trunks quickly rushed to get the door expecting to see his uncle, but instead Mai was there smiling her shy smile. "Um, hi," she greeted. "Is it too late for me to accept your invite?"

Trunks grinned, the girl relaxing as he did so, before he stepped aside and let her in. "Of course not. I'm glad you can make it. Come on. I want you to meet my mom."

Mai tensed slightly, but she realized that if she decided to pursue any friendship with Trunks that she would have to meet the woman and possibly his father. She tensed even more at that as Trunks led her into the kitchen as she saw a blue-haired woman and a flame-haired man. She did her best to hide her nerves. "Mom, this is Mai," he introduced.

The woman smiled at the girl making her calm down a bit. "Mai, it's so good to finally meet you," she chimed. "I'm glad you were able to come."

"M-Me too." Mai's eyes travelled to Vegeta who looked like a very strict parent, his eyes a bit calculating.

Trunks noticed her staring and said, "Oh, sorry about that. Mai, this is Vegeta. He's my mom's boyfriend."

"T-Trunks!" Bulma exclaimed, baffled, looking over nervously to Vegeta who simply blushed and cleared his throat.

"What? You guys are dating. That makes him your boyfriend."

"To be in the mind of teenagers," Vegeta joked, chuckling at the boy and shaking his head. "Sure, I'm Bulma's boyfriend."

Mai and Trunks both noticed how the woman smiled at that before ushering the teenagers into the living room with the others. "Okay, everyone get comfortable. The wings will be delivered soon."

"Hey, Aunt Bulma," Gohan called out, "where's your brother?"

Bulma glanced at the teenager, ignoring Vegeta's gaze. She had mentioned in passing that she had a brother, but she hadn't yet told him about Tarble, for that would open up a lot of issues. To be honest, she really liked the guy, and she didn't want to chase him away with her family drama. It was strange that she could hide it so well when her stepmother worked for the company. Of course, Bulma had heard Vegeta say positive things about her father when he was alive, and she just couldn't bear the thought of her telling him what he put her through and him not believing her. "A coworker of his took him out for the night, and he decided it was time to start getting out again."

"Bad breakup?" Vegeta asked, only meaning it as a joke, but when Bulma nodded his brows furrowed. He hadn't meant it as more than that.

"Anyway, there's plenty of movies to choose from on the shelves. Keep to the ratings. Trunks already knows what most of them are, right?"

"Yup!" her son replied enthusiastically. "We have horror, comedy, action, chick flicks…you name it, we most likely have it."

"Why would you even offer chick flicks?" Videl laughed. "I say we go with horror."

"Uh, really?" Valese asked nervously. "I…I'm not sure."

"Hey, don't worry," Goten assured her. "None of it's real. Plus, usually we watch the old horror movies from our parents' day. They aren't too bad." Of course, Goten wouldn't admit that most horror movies freaked him out, too.

"If it's too scary, we can always watch a comedy after," Mai suggested.

"Okay, so are we leaning towards horror, because I've got options," Trunks interjected.

Bulma smiled at the scene. It was probably the liveliest movie night her son had had for a while. Normally, she'd be watching the movies with the kids, but she had promised Vegeta some drinks on the upstairs balcony. "Alright, kids. I'm trusting you to behave. I'll be down when the delivery guy gets here with the wings and periodically checking up on you."

"Kay, mom/Aunt Bulma," the boys said in sync. The girls simply glanced at each other and giggled. Mai was sort of happy she came. They really seemed like a very good family.

* * *

"So," Bulma started as she pulled out a couple of folding chairs, "I put a cooler out here with some beers and wine coolers so pick your poison."

"Hm, don't mind if I do," Vegeta replied, opening the cooler and grabbing a beer. He took a seat and watched as Bulma went for the wine cooler and closed the lid. For a while, the two sat in a comfortable silence sipping their drinks.

Bulma ended it. "So, did you mean it?"

Vegeta's attention shifted to her. "What?"

"What you said to Trunks and his friend. Are we really?"

Her answer was his rumbling chuckle and a smirk. "Is that what you want?"

"Is it what you want?" Bulma returned, her voice full of mirth.

Though Vegeta would have liked to continue the game, he knew she was looking for an actual answer. Trunks had caught them both off-guard with his claim. He was right, in a sense, that they were dating, though the adults had not termed their relationship yet. Vegeta could tell that they were both guarded, and that kept them distant from each other. They at least knew that both had father issues, but they had both been holding back. Truthfully, Vegeta hadn't had a serious girlfriend since high school. Everything else had been a fling with no attachment or strings. For some reason, he wanted the strings that came with getting to know Bulma.

Instead of answering with a word, Vegeta decided that he would be the first to open up a little. "As you know, I inherited the company when my father died. It had been a long time since we spoke, and I hadn't known he was sick. My mother had tried to contact me, but I never answered."

Bulma's hand moved to her chest. She was so surprised Vegeta was sharing personal information with her. Their last date, they had danced around the topics of their families, so this was a major step for them. "Why?"

Her voice was light, devoid of all judgment. He shrugged. "Honestly, I didn't care. I hadn't expected the man to be dying, but I had separated myself from them. My mother and I were close when I was younger, but when I got older she was a bitch. Neither of my parents cared about what I might be going through. They just wanted some perfect son with no emotions. After I graduated, I was seventeen, so I filed for emancipation and left. There was nothing left for me here."

"Not that I'm complaining, but why did you come back, then?"

"That is a good question," Vegeta responded. "It wasn't my choice, at first. My father left me the company, so when I wouldn't answer my mother, the lawyers showed up. To be honest, I hated my father's company, and I could have lived off of the shares from the company I sold, but I realized that I had a lot of demons to face in this town, and I figured now was as good a time as any to face them."

"That's amazing," Bulma whispered in awe, putting her cooler aside. "It takes a lot of courage to admit to something like that."

Vegeta grunted a response before finishing off his beer and grabbing another. Bulma only smiled at him before she said, "I didn't grow up here, but my best friend, Goku, ended up here with his family, and my mother liked the area. I was able to find a good, stable job with the appliance store before the manager died. He was a good man, and he knew my story unlike his son.

"But truthfully, it was a great location. My half-brother ended up going to school here, and then his mother decided to move here sometime after. She and I have an awkward relationship because of how my father treated me. She has this belief that he was this amazing father and only ever said the things he did out of anger."

"From the 'illigitimate' comment, I can already say that she's full of crap," Vegeta remarked. He eyed the woman, who now appeared saddened. "Did I say something wrong?"

Bulma sighed and shook her head. "No…it's just, I've truthfully always been afraid that if I ramble on about my past drama with my father that I'd chase off whomever I dated. I was a mess for a long time, and I still hold on to some lingering pain. I've been facing it, but I just don't want to get into it all."

"You're afraid of something," Vegeta pointed out. "You already know I'm not going to walk away because of father issues when I have my own. We don't have to delve into all of it now. As always, we're basically avoiding that discussion. What I want to know is what has you so horrified? Are you concerned about certain people finding out and using it against you?" Bulma's mouth instantly dropped open, and he knew he had hit the nail directly on the head.

"I don't want my brother to know anything," Bulma answered. "My father was terrible to me, but he was a good father to my brother and everyone else. He donated a lot of his time to my brother's boy scouts troop and foster homes. He could have been a good father if he wanted to with me, but he stopped trying with me. I gave up on him after he called me a bad daughter and illegitimate in the same conversation. It still pains me that he died a year later."

Vegeta nearly choked on his drink. In all of the conversations with the woman, she had not mentioned that her father had died. He had wondered, when she told him about Trunks's conception, what her father had thought. He had never once thought that maybe her father's opinion hadn't mattered because he wasn't alive. To think this woman had been hurt so badly and then didn't get the chance to have any closure. "I'm sorry. When and how did it happen?"

Bulma grimaced as she went for her drink again. Her lips then curved into a sad, rueful smile. "It happened the year after I graduate college, right after I found out I got into grad school. He died in a car crash. The other driver had gone into diabetic shock."

"That's…" Vegeta tried, but he couldn't find the words. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything," Bulma told him. "Sometimes silence is the best answer."

So they remained silent for a while, finishing off their drinks, Bulma going for another one. Vegeta watched her movements and saw that she was moving slowly and that she was tensed. He had come back to the town to face his problems, get the closure he desperately wanted, and now all of that seemed empty. This woman had graduated more than a decade ago, and then her father had passed and she would never get her closure, yet she had had a son by herself, a great work ethic, and an ability he hadn't seen in too many people. She had captured his interest, as well. It made him wonder if he needed closure, or if he just needed to let go. He wasn't sure if he could do that yet.

"See, this is why I don't talk about my father on dates," Bulma said with a laugh, her voice sounding quiet and weak. "It puts an unnecessary strain on everything. I have a lot of baggage, and you probably don't need to deal with it."

"We all have baggage," Vegeta reminded her. "As I said, I don't even talk to my mother. I haven't since I left here when I was seventeen. My father contacted me about ten years ago to make a deal with my company before I sold, and I denied him. After that, there was no communication until the lawyer got ahold of me. I arranged to speak with them separate from my mother, because I honestly refused to set foot in there if she was there."

Bulma chanced a glance at Vegeta, his posture now tense, before looking back to her drink. "I know I don't seem it, but at times I still feel broken," Bulma admitted, Vegeta looking back at her. "I know his words don't matter, and I'm honestly very happy with my life. I should have dealt with a lot of it back in the day when it happened, but I didn't want therapy and I found ways to distract myself, Trunks being the biggest distraction.

"I love my son," Bulma continued, "and I never wanted him to feel the way I did. He knows what my father put me through, and I feel bad that he gets so upset whenever my brother talks about him, or when my stepmother tells him romanticized stories of the man. I had gotten used to that, but Trunks is still young."

"Why does your stepmother bother?" Vegeta asked. "She has to know you told your son the truth."

"Which truth?" Bulma scoffed. "We have two different views on the truth. My father lied to both of us repeatedly, but I saw through him. She always tells me he loved me and bragged about me all the time, even that he was so protective of me. When I brought up the most recent things he had called me, she said he never meant it and only ever said it out of anger at his own situation. She said people were trying to ruin his image, people in my and his family, and that she wanted to tell me his side of the story which he made her swear not to tell me while he was alive."

Vegeta looked quite perturbed by the idea, so Bulma quickly added, "But the conversation never happened. It had driven me crazy the first couple of years to think about having the conversation that it stressed me out. The year after I graduated with my masters, I focused on my grief process, and one day I came to the realization that I would need to get over the fear I had and just tell her I wanted to leave the past in the past."

Bulma stood up, leaving her drink behind as she moved to rest her hands on the balcony rail. Vegeta's eyes never left her. He saw every muscle twitch, every breath or sigh, and eventually moved to join her and stand beside her. "I guess I didn't do a good job leaving it in the past."

The next moment was something Bulma hadn't expected, Vegeta's hand sliding to hers and taking it giving her a reassuring squeeze. She looked to the man who seemed to be surprised by his own action. "We don't have to talk about it anymore, tonight," Vegeta told her, "but one day I would like to know more. I don't want my questions to make you give more than you're ready. You've been very respectful of my own past."

Bulma felt relieved that Vegeta had ended the conversation, for she would have ended up being an emotional mess the more she spoke. "Thanks. We can talk about something else."

Vegeta smirked at Bulma's playfulness returning. "Are we going to be cliché and discuss our exes now that we've decided to date?"

"Sure, why not?" Bulma laughed. "There's not much to tell with me. I dated Goku when I was in college, but we wanted different things and his anxiety issues made it difficult for both of us. He's still surprised he was able to find someone to marry."

"In the spirit of full disclosure, Raditz had told me about you and his brother after you sent me the text about the boy." Bulma seemed surprised by the fact that he was telling her, for Raditz had already admitted to it. "He was worried for his nephew."

The woman nodded. "Yeah. Goku wanted me to go with him to speak to the guidance counselor. Before this, his wife was trying to avoid the fact that her son was struggling. Goten was afraid to include her in anything or talk to her, so Goku went behind Chi Chi's back to change Goten's class and wanted moral support. I had warned him it wasn't a good idea, but he is very stubborn, and I couldn't let him go in alone."

Vegeta simply shrugged. "As long as the kid is fine, nothing else matters."

Bulma smiled. "Exactly. Anyway, the only other guy I dated was a man named Yamcha. We started dating when I was twenty-eight and the relationship lasted two years. He wasn't ready to start a family, and I had always told myself that by age thirty, I'd have kids, or run the risk of never having a child. Yamcha didn't want kids, his or otherwise, so we decided to end it there." After a quiet moment, Bulma looked at Vegeta. "What about you?"

"Honestly, there isn't much to tell on my end either," he told her. "I had a girlfriend in high school that I don't wish to speak about."

"Noted," Bulma replied, "but I find it difficult to believe that's it."

Out of nowhere, Vegeta felt nervous. It never bothered him before that he had so many casual flings, but he wondered what Bulma would think of him. Still, she was being very open and honest to him about her past relationships, even tell him personal stuff about the one she stayed friends with. She was earning his trust, and he needed to be worth all of that. "Throughout college, and even after building my company, I slept around with some of the girls I knew or secretaries I worked with," he explained. "They were never anything more than hookups to distract myself, and they knew that and didn't care. I don't speak with them anymore, especially after I sold the company. I haven't dated or had a fling in a few years, now."

Bulma nodded and assured him, "Believe me, I've heard worse histories. Nothing to worry about."

Vegeta instantly relaxed, and again didn't know why this woman had his emotions on pins and needles at all times. He never thought he'd meet anyone that would make him feel as he had in high school before he lost the woman he had loved. That was almost thirty years ago, and that was why he had long given up on meeting anyone. Three years earlier, he had just stopped trying, part of the reason he decided to withdraw.

He had never faced his demons from the past, and had wanted to avoid that city like the plague, but now he had accepted his decision. Where he had never planned for this, he couldn't say he wasn't sort of happy by the turn of events.

Vegeta took a chance, never once backing down from anything he wanted. Right now, he wanted Bulma. He took her by surprise, pulling her into him and kissing her. The woman had been shocked and wide-eyed, but she eventually closed her eyes and let herself feel instead of think. As her arms wrapped around his neck, he moved her so her back was facing the outer wall of the apartment. It had been a while, for both of them, since a kiss had felt so right. For Bulma, even more so.

Before things could turn heated, they heard Trunks yelling up for his mother. The food had finally arrived. At the sound of the teenager's voice, the adults pulled away from each other, both of their faces flushed from what they had just experienced. Vegeta moved back from her to put distance between them. Though he had been at peace moments ago, his mind was racing and he wasn't so sure it had been his best idea.

"I don't know what came over me," he said stoically.

Bulma only smiled and crossed her arms. "It's fine, really. I think we think too much."

Vegeta could only guess what she meant, most likely teasing him that they were putting too much thought into the kiss now. He answered her with the best answer that fit in that moment, silence.

She looked back inside. "We should go inside and eat, and maybe avoid alcohol the rest of the night."

He smirked when she winked at him and nodded, following her back inside the apartment. They joined the teenagers, who were already getting the wings out when Bulma went to pay. He watched the kids as they headed back to the living room to eat while they watched some horror movie. He couldn't help but mentally smile at the fact that the kids seemed to be having a good time. As a teenager, he hadn't had this.

He and Bulma grabbed some food and ate in comfortable silence as they eyed the teenagers and eventually joined in watching movies. Vegeta, surprisingly, didn't mind spending his evening in this manner, nor did he mind letting Bulma think the alcohol had affected his judgement. Honestly, he was nowhere near intoxicated, and he had kissed her solely because he wanted to. She didn't need to know that. Of course, if he had told her, he would have learned that even though Bulma was a lightweight, the alcohol hadn't been responsible for her giving into the kiss.

She had wanted it, too. It both excited and frightened her.


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Thanks again to everyone who read and reviewed last chapter. I'm feeling 100X better now :D I even have good news on the ankle front. I don't have to wear the brace anymore, finally, so that's good news. I'm getting more active, doing more stuff with friends and family, so I didn't have much time to write these last couple of days. I've also had some other distractions as I think I mentioned last chapter. Nuzlocke challenge, got new colored pencils so I've been coloring a lot and will hopefully get some drawing in along the way…we'll see. Anyway, I'm going to stop rambling now and give you guys what you really want.

Here's the chapter!

Enjoy!

* * *

The next day, Bulma woke up to a silent apartment and smiled. After watching a couple of movies, she was tasked with driving Valese and Videl home. Mai had been extremely exhausted and a little reluctant to return home. She did say, though, that her uncle said it was okay if she stayed over her friend's house and to text him. Bulma was a little hesitant to allow her to stay without speaking with the man, but the girl seemed to relax after Bulma agreed.

Trunks had been happy to have Mai there. After Gohan and Goten fell asleep in Trunks's room, she could distinctly hear Trunks's and Mai's voices talking almost all night. Her brother had come in around one that morning and told her that they were still awake downstairs, just talking, and Bulma thought it was the sweetest thing.

Vegeta had gone home after the teenagers were done watching horror movies and shifted to a romantic comedy to reassure Mai and Valese who had been hanging onto Trunks and Goten through the whole movie. At times, Mai was even hiding. Vegeta explained he wasn't really into romantic comedies, so Bulma just laughed and saw him off, but not before Vegeta quickly kissed her goodnight. It was a sure sign to Bulma that Vegeta had meant to kiss her earlier, and she felt so giddy over it. She realized that she hadn't had a relationship quite like this one, but she was happy and that was enough for her.

Surprisingly, as she descended the stairs, she caught Trunks and his friend passed out on the couch. She wondered when they had fallen asleep and if they even knew that Trunks had wrapped her in a protective hold all night. Smiling knowingly, she headed straight for the kitchen to start on breakfast for everyone. She was careful to be quiet, though she knew Trunks was a heavy sleeper. Part of her didn't want to wake the pair. They just looked so adorable together.

Trunks started to stir when the smell of food reached him. He grinned and attempted to stretch out his arms when he realized he couldn't move. He frowned slightly, not understanding, but when he opened his eyes he got his answer. His face went completely red when he saw that he had Mai in his arms. He remembered talking with her all night about everything and nothing, though she said nothing about her stepfather and Trunks never pushed her to talk about him. He remembered making some stupid jokes and her laughing. He really loved the sound of her laugh.

Still, he had no idea how they had fallen asleep down there. He didn't even remember laying down or taking her in his arms. A part of him, though, could admit that he sort of liked waking up like this even though his arm was asleep and he was trapped. Apparently, the smell of food reached Mai, too, for she started talking in her sleep. "M-Mom?" she murmured. "I-Is that you? I've missed you."

Trunks frowned when he heard this. He knew she lived with her stepfather, but she never mentioned her mother at all, not even when they were talking the previous night. Tears started to form in her closed eyes leaking out. "No, wait, come back…please…"

He gasped and gently tried to shake her awake. From what she said, it sounded like her mother had left and the teenager felt awful for the girl. "Mai, wake up," he tried, and the girl instantly shot up in a panic and started struggling against him yelling "no" repeatedly.

"Mai, calm down," Trunks said, his mother rushing over to them from the kitchen.

At the sound of his voice, Mai stopping smacking his chest and realized that she wasn't fighting off Zarbon, but her friend. She tried to wipe the tears from her face, but she just started crying harder. Trunks hugged her but his face betrayed his astonishment by both her words and her reaction when he tried to wake her. "Sh," he eventually cooed. "Sh, I'm here, Mai. You're okay. It was just a bad dream."

Bulma sighed in relief once Trunks seemed to have gotten control of the girl. She had heard Mai screaming from the kitchen and shot into action. When she saw the girl hitting Trunks, she nearly entered the scene, but Trunks was able to calm her down right away. Now that she was calmer, Bulma went back to the kitchen to pour her a cup of tea. "Here, Mai," she offered. "It's apple chamomile. That should help with the nerves."

Shakily, Mai accepted the drink and said, "Thank you," very quietly before sipping.

"Are you okay?" Trunks asked never removing his hand from hers. "That must have been a really horrible dream."

"I-I'm okay," she stammered. "I…I'm sorry I hit you. I didn't know it was you."

"It's okay," he assured her. "I've taken harder hits on the football field. Some of our opponents are bears."

Mai laughed at the joke before sipping some more tea. "Still, I didn't mean to. How did we end up like that, anyway?"

"I have no idea," Trunks admitted with a chuckle. "I just remember talking about stuff, and then I woke up to us both passed out on the couch."

Mai smiled, but then she frowned. "D-Did I…did I say anything?"

Trunks noticed that she was hesitant when she asked, but he didn't want to lie and breach her trust. "Yeah. You were asking your mom to come back."

"I…" Mai whispered before she put the tea cup on the coffee table. She buried her head in her hands and started shaking. "I shouldn't have said that."

"Mai…" Trunks breathed out. He looked to his mom hoping she could advise him on how to proceed.

"Mai, sweetie," his mother cooed. "Why don't we go sit at the table and you two eat some breakfast? We can talk if you want."

"No," Mai shot her down. "I don't want to talk about it…please."

"That's okay," Trunks assured her rubbing her back. "We can talk about something else. Like homecoming. Are you excited?"

Mai sighed, but was thankful for the change in subject. "Yeah, but I don't think I have anything to wear."

"Huh," Bulma responded, tapping a finger to her chin. "You know, Valese said the same thing last night when I drove her home. I offered to take her out shopping today while her parents are working. Would you like to join us?"

"What?" Mai asked in shock. "N-No, I…I don't really have money on me."

"That's all right," Bulma soothed. "I can buy you a dress if you'd like."

"I couldn't ask you to do that for me."

"Nonsense," the woman spoke softly. "You're my son's friend, and I would like to get to know you some more. I think it'll be fun, don't you?"

Trunks's laugh caught Mai's attention. When she looked at him, he rubbed the base of his nose and said, "Yeah, don't argue. Mom's stubborn. Once she gets an idea, she sticks to it. And hey, me and Goten can come too. It'll be a fun day."

"What about Gohan?"

Trunks shrugged. "He's meeting Videl at a coffee shop somewhere."

"Ah, the coffee date," Bulma pondered, now that she knew that going for coffee was apparently a date activity.

Trunks looked at his mother like she was crazy for a moment before he grinned. "Wait, Vegeta took you on a coffee date? That's so old school. Awesome!"

"Oh quiet you," Bulma teased, sticking her tongue out at him. "Now, let's have breakfast. I'd rather have the spotlight be on my cooking and not my love life."

Mai gaped at the woman, but Trunks just laughed at his mother's expense. She smiled, though, liking how close Trunks was with his mother. She wished she could have that again.

* * *

Vegeta was in the grocery store picking up a few things considering it was the weekend and he was running low on food. His mind, a few times, had wandered back to Bulma. He couldn't get kissing Bulma out of his mind. Not only that, but he had admitted to her teenage son and his friend that they were a couple now. It was strange. Before coming back to the town, Vegeta only had two thoughts: to work the company and to get over his past. Throwing a girlfriend into the mix was not part of his original plan.

Still, he felt something, something he hadn't felt since he dated his high school sweetheart, and it left him feeling breathless. He had been so overwhelmed by the emotions he was feeling last night after the two started delving into their pasts that he needed to end it, plus her acceptance of everything he never wished to tell anyone pulled him to her. He didn't know when they'd be alone like that again, but he was already looking forward to it. He had the strangest and strongest desire to kiss her again.

"Vegeta?"

A scowl appeared on his face when he heard the voice of the woman he had never wished to hear from again, his mother. He hadn't expected to see her ever again, especially since he knew this wasn't her normal grocery store. Turning around, he faced his mother who looked so surprised and also very overwhelmed and relieved. He turned away from her and walked away. "Wait, Vegeta, please," she called out to him, rushing after him. He simply picked up his pace and stormed away from her, but then he heard her running and she managed to get in front of him and blocked his shopping cart. His eyes narrowed at her. "Please…please talk to me," she begged, but Vegeta held his glare and remained silent.

The mother sighed and almost surrendered to let him leave, but she realized she couldn't let that happen again. She had already watched him leave once and she wouldn't do that again. "How have you been?" Vegeta didn't answer. "I've heard great things about the company. Your father would have been proud."

"Don't fucking bring that bastard into this," Vegeta hissed. His mother flashed him a weak smile, and he cursed himself for playing into his mother's plan. That bitch always knew Vegeta couldn't stay quiet when it came to his father.

"Vegeta," his mother said pleadingly, "I…I know we let you down, but please don't shut me out. You're all I have left."

"That is your problem," Vegeta scoffed. "I stopped being your son a long time ago. Now, leave me alone. I have enough shit to deal with, and you're not a part of it. Get out of my way."

Crestfallen, his mother decided to pull out of his way, and Vegeta walked passed her not looking back. She observed her son's rigid form as he walked away and felt her heart break. This distance between them was something she had never wanted, but her anger towards her husband caused her to behave differently. The two of them pushed their son away, so much so that he had changed his name and accounts to be free of them. Had his company not succeeded so well, her husband would have never found him. She always hoped she'd be able to make things right with her son, one day, but he wouldn't even give her a chance. Where she couldn't blame him, she was still disheartened. She wanted her son back.

* * *

Bulma and the car full of teenagers finally made it to the mall after breakfast. She was very happy to hear the very excited chatter reminding her of the days where she, Goku, and Krillin had been in their position with her mother driving them around or holding movie nights. Back in the day, they were far from blissfully innocent as Goku had started struggling when he around Goten's age. For the longest time, Bulma and Krillin had done their best to keep their friend's mind off of things and so activities like movie night and mall trips had been their thing as well.

It was nice to see Goten at ease and Trunks so excited. Bulma loved those boys, and she honestly wanted them to be happy and safe. She glanced at the girls as they walked alongside the boys. Valese stood closely to Goten, hugging his arm and laughing at a joke he told the group. The two of them reminded her of the way she and Goku used to be, a time when things were less complicated.

"So, what are you guys going to do while we shop?" Valese asked.

Trunks smiled and shrugged. "We'll probably hit the arcade."

"You aren't coming with us?" Mai questioned in a panic. She looked very alarmed causing the lavender-haired teen to frown.

"Well, isn't that normally how it is? Valese said we shouldn't see the dresses."

"But…" Mai protested weakly. Then she managed to pull up her old attitude, though Trunks could definitely see she was using it as a shield. "It's not like we're getting married or anything," she muttered rolling her eyes. "What do I care if you see the dress?"

Even Bulma noticed and placed her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Mai, if you want them to come, that's okay. They'll wait in the store while you girls try on some gowns. Is that okay?"

Her guise seemed to dissipate instantly as she observed the mother's smiling face. She still seemed uncertain, but Trunks's voice seemed to soothe her. "Yeah, we'll go," he promised. "Right, Goten?"

"Sure," his friend responded with a nod. "But let's get some food first. I'm kind of hungry."

"You boys," Bulma laughed before looking to the girls. "They're always hungry."

Valese laughed along with the woman and then looked to Mai who looked very out of sorts as she looked around the mall. As Trunks went to talk to his mom and Goten was distracted thinking of where to eat, she moved to walk with the girl. Mai seemed startled by her actions, but Valese wasn't deterred. "So, have you been to the mall since you've been here?"

"Uh," the raven-haired girl squawked. "Um, no, I haven't."

"That's too bad," Valese replied with a frown. Then her expression lit up again. "We'll just have to make sure you enjoy this trip. Want to grab a smoothie with me? I'll treat."

"Y-You," Mai breathed out. "You don't have to-"

Valese giggled. "I know, silly, but I want to. We haven't talked much and I want to get to know you."

Mai was instantly reminded of the first time Trunks had walked up to her in the halls. She had been new, and the rumors about her promiscuity, however false, was being spread. The boy hadn't been scared away from her at all. He went right over to her smiling his warm but impish smile and had started talking to her. She tried to ward him off with her nonchalant, bad attitude, even went as far as insulting him, but his smile never fell just softened. She had sent her friends away and asked him what he even wanted, expecting him to say a date or more, but he simply said he wanted to get to know her. When he had conveyed that desire to her, she panicked and told him he was an idiot before storming off. He didn't call after, didn't chase her, but when he saw her again he began speaking to her as if no hurtful words had been said.

Time went by, and he was certainly persistent, so Mai finally surrendered, and in that one week she had felt better than she had in a long time. She was still afraid to make friends, still afraid of someone finding out about her home life, but something about making at least one friend comforted her. The fact that someone cared about her wellbeing and how she was liking school was completely new to her, at least since her mother passed away.

In her mental reverie, Valese grabbed and dragged her to a smoothie kiosk while calling to the boys and Bulma that they'd be right back. Trunks had watched as the two girls left feeling better that Mai was being engaged with new people. He really hoped that she'd grow comfortable around them and tell at least one of them what was going on. She needed someone to confide in, or whatever it was she was trying to face alone would crush her.

* * *

Later, they were all in the dress shop and Bulma was helping the girls look for evening dresses that weren't very flashy. Mai seemed in awe by all of the different colors and styles, but her eyes landed on a black, spaghetti strap dress that looked like it would stop below her knees. Bulma had noticed the way Mai looked at the dress, so she grabbed it off the rack and sent Mai into a dressing room to try it on.

Mai wanted to look at the price tag, but the thought of someone spending any amount of money on her made her feel sick. She decided to try to ignore it and then slipped the dress over her head. It looked better on her than she thought it would, hugging her in just the right way. It wasn't that low-cut, either, which was appealing to her. Of course, her arms were visible. She would be fine for the dance, but if someone saw her now, they'd see the bruises.

Someone wrapped on the door making the teenager jump. "Yes?" she called out, her hearth thumping in her chest.

"Is it okay if I come in?" Bulma asked. "I brought a couple of wraps and accessories I think might go well with the dress."

"Uh, um," Mai responded looking around the room quickly before she hurriedly grabbed her sweatshirt and pulled it over her head. "Come in."

Bulma entered carrying a whole mess of stuff that made Mai's eyes widen. She couldn't believe the woman wanted her to try on all that stuff. When she turned around, she saw Mai wearing her sweatshirt and said, "All right, time to take that off and try on some of these wraps." Mai didn't move. "Is everything okay?"

"Can you hand me one of those and then turn around?"

The woman was surprised by the request, but she realized that Mai wasn't very comfortable around anyone beside her son. With a smile, she nodded and handed Mai a black wrap. The teenager was nervous, for the piece of cloth didn't have sleeves, but she figured she could cover herself up enough. When Bulma wasn't looking, she took off her shirt and put on the wrap. She did her best to hide her bruises, but there were still a couple she couldn't. She gasped beside herself, and Bulma turned around with a grin thinking the teenager had liked the ensemble.

Instead, she saw her son's friend trembling slightly as she tried to hide dark splotches on her skin. Bulma's brow furrowed in confusion and she moved to assist the girl, but Mai noticed and stepped back from the woman. She looked very fearful, and Bulma was already putting two and two together.

"How did that happen?" she pointed to the only two visible bruises on her arms.

"I…" Mai attempted before a gear clicked in her head and she thought of a way out. "I crashed into a wall. I'm sort of a klutz."

Bulma's expression turned grim. She knew the girl was lying about her injury. This child was not acting like someone who had simply had a klutzy moment. That was something Bulma, herself, had dealt with never being able to walk straight at times. "Mai," Bulma said softly, "you know you can tell me anything if you need to. I won't do anything to make things worse for you."

Mai hesitated. She really didn't know this woman, and she knew how these things worked. If she told anyone, they'd call CPS to investigate, and Zarbon would be pissed and make things look fine. She had tried once when she was younger, and Zarbon had beat her within an inch of her life. No, she couldn't risk someone calling, even if they were as nice as Trunks or his mother. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing to tell. I really am just that uncoordinated. Thank you, though, for being concerned. I'm all right."

A frown appeared on Bulma's face as Mai turned away from her and went to look at the other accessories. With her refusal to talk about whatever was happening, the mother's concern only grew. Unfortunately, though, she couldn't do anything without some kind of admittance. Besides, if she were to call CPS, they'd interview and investigate, and that could potentially make things worse. Bulma was no stranger to CPS. Her mother had been investigated twice, once because of her grandmother who was angry that her mother refused to let her control either of them, and then once because of her father who called for no reason except that Bulma was being left home while her mother was working. It was stupid on both accounts, and thankfully CPS could see that Bulma was in a safe and loving environment. As for this girl, it was clear that if her stepfather got wind of an investigation, she'd be hurt far worse.

Mai chose a few accessories that went well with the dress or wrap and smiled when she saw herself in the mirror. Well, at least Bulma could do this for her. With her stepfather out of town, she could do quite a bit for her, actually. She smiled at the teenager and said, "Wow, you look so beautiful, Mai. Do you like it?"

The girl blushed at the compliment, but the smile never left her face as she nodded. "I do."

"Then, I'll take the rest back and leave you to get changed, and then after we pay, we'll go get you some clothes."

"Huh, wha…why?" the girl stammered.

"Well," Bulma replied with a warm tone, "I know your stepfather is out of town this week. Trunks told me he gave you our number to contact, but honestly, I would feel better if you stayed with us for the week. You won't have to worry about cooking or anything. I'm sure Trunks wouldn't mind rooming with his uncle. Would that be okay with you?"

Mai honestly didn't want to say "yes." She was afraid that staying with the family would cause more questions to be asked than she was ready to answer. If she said "no," though, a red flag would be raised. She couldn't let that happen either. She felt like she was caught between a rock and a hard place, but then Bulma's hand touched her shoulder and she forced herself to look into the woman's kind eyes. "Don't worry, Mai," she cooed soothingly. "We won't do anything to make you uncomfortable, okay? I just want to make sure you're being taken care of. No child should be on their own that long. Whenever my mom had to do an overnight thing, yeah I was able to take care of myself, but she still made sure that the neighbors two apartments over from us would check on me and that I'd have their number. It would just make us all feel better to know you were safe."

A pang struck Mai's heart, and she found herself unable to say "no," so she nodded instead. She didn't know what she had done to deserve being cared about so much by people who hardly knew her. To be honest, years with Zarbon made her feel less of herself and weak, but something about letting Trunks befriend her seemed to make her feel a little bit stronger.

* * *

As promised, Bulma left the room to go tell Trunks that Mai would be staying with them the week. Of course, Trunks was very excited and didn't even wait for his mother to ask if he'd be willing to give up his room. He offered it to Mai just as soon as she joined them. The boys got dragged along clothes shopping so that Mai wouldn't have to return to her house to get outfits for the week. Right after, they all went to the arcade and just hung around together, which was about when Bulma received a text from Vegeta.

When his name lit up on the screen, Bulma smiled. She hadn't really thought about the next step with Vegeta after they kissed the previous night. To be honest, she had wanted to send him a text, but the teenagers had her busy and she focused on them. The fact that he texted her first amazed her. When she read the text, though, she could tell something was wrong.

 **Are you free tonight.**

Usually when he texted her, he started off with a greeting, and whenever he asked a question he always used a question mark. He wasn't asking in this moment. He wanted her to say "yes." She had just invited Mai to come stay with them, and she didn't want to abandon the kids, though Tarble would be home. She texted back, **Are you okay?**

Minutes passed by, but it may as well have been hours. **I just need to see you.**

Bulma's expression softened. She realized he must have been really upset by something, and he was seeking her out for comfort. **Where do you want to go?**

 **Anywhere.**

 **Alright,** she replied as she swallowed. **Then I have an idea. Let's meet at the bowling alley. They have a restaurant there and a bar. A few games might do us some good.**

 **Fine.**

Bulma placed her phone back in her purse knowing that her boyfriend most likely wouldn't send anything else. She wondered what could be bothering him. He was always very together, even when enraged at work. She had to mediate certain things in meetings they had had recently, but that was because Paragus was always taking jabs at him. The only time she ever saw Vegeta upset was when they discussed their families. Something had happened in the last twenty-four hours that had gotten to him. She only hoped that he would once again open up to her so that she could help him deal with it.

She took out her phone again and sent her brother a text asking him if he was definitely going to be in that night, and when he gave her an affirmative answer she asked him to keep an eye on Trunks and Mai. At least she knew they'd be okay for the night. No, her biggest concern was Vegeta in that moment.


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Yay! It's time for another chapter. I decided not to proofread this time because I have to rush to leave tonight and won't be able to post updates on the IPad…it's so weird, but computers for the win! Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter. You will be happy to know I'm almost finished with Chapter 14, so you can expect very timely updates with this one. Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing!

* * *

Vegeta had gotten to the bowling alley first and gone straight for the bar. This rage he was feeling, he didn't think he'd ever feel like that again. His mother reaching out to him, trying to take responsibility for the past just got to him. She wasn't wrong. Both his parents had let him down in such a big way. He scoffed and ordered a beer. He didn't want to think on it anymore. It just wouldn't leave him alone.

He finished off the glass and then demanded another in such a gruff way that the bartender jumped. The man asked Vegeta if he wanted anything to eat, but Vegeta had no appetite.

As he sipped his second drink, Vegeta turned to the restaurant entrance and saw Bulma already there, earlier than he thought she'd be there. She spotted him and flashed him an understanding smile as she made her way to the bar. When she reached him, she took a seat beside him and ordered a fruity drink, a Malibu Bay Breeze. The bartender got busy as the woman glanced at the menu and ordered a few appetizers.

Her attention then fell on Vegeta who was just staring at her, his expression a bit softer than when she first entered the restaurant. When she had gotten there and saw him, it looked like he wanted to wring someone's neck. "So, what's going on?" she asked lightly but cautiously. "You seemed upset when you texted me."

"I am," he remarked. There was no sense in denying it. After all, he had sought her out. Still, he didn't wish to talk about it right away. "Why did you order appetizers?"

Bulma laughed airily. "Well, if you're anything like me, then you won't eat anything when you're upset, so I got some small stuff so you get something but you don't have to force a meal into your system."

Vegeta looked at her dumbfounded. He had to admit, she was good. Part of him wondered if it was really, truly because he shared similar mannerisms to her, which he didn't doubt he did, or if it was because she was used to looking out for her son and knowing when he needed her. Either way, Vegeta was thankful that she decided to come. Like her, he was never intent on letting anyone close enough to him to know his life's problems. Bulma was like a magnet, and somehow her presence alone made him want to unload. She seemed to feel the same way the previous night with him.

"Fair enough," he remarked as he drank some more of his beer.

Bulma waited for her drink to come, the two of them sipping in silence, but after a while, Bulma tried to ask what was wrong once again. This time Vegeta sighed, not wanting to avoid answering as he had before. "I ran into my mother today."

A heaviness appeared over them, so Bulma did the only thing she could do. It was what Vegeta had done for her the night before, taking his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. His eyes flashed down to their joined hands, his eyes shining with something Bulma couldn't understand. He let go of his cup, taking his other hand and placing it over their entwined appendages. Bulma flashed him a sad smile, assuring him that if he wanted he could talk about it, but if he didn't they could just sit together in silence for a little while.

The bartender interrupted their silent moment, placing the few appetizers she ordered in front of them. She motioned for Vegeta to eat, and began taking some food her herself. Vegeta simply watched her movements as they both ate.

He was amazed at her patience. She was probably curious and would listen to everything he had to say, but she didn't pry waiting for him to talk. His appetite returned slightly though he still felt very apprehensive and didn't want to eat. It was a horrible habit of his that he had had since high school. Apparently the woman had those types of problems too. That alone worried Vegeta. He knew how little he ate when he lost his high school girlfriend. He couldn't imagine what she went through dealing with her father and then handling his death.

"I know what you're thinking," Bulma stated. She could feel Vegeta's eyes on her, and truthfully she knew the question would come up. "It was harder in college when mom was working, Goku was back home, and I was living alone. When my father died, they checked on me all the time when I wasn't with them. I lived with mom the first semester of grad school, and so she made sure I ate and talked about stuff. We had a few late night movie nights with lots of wine, and she made sure we went a lot of new places. We visited my hometown a lot and spent time with my family and Goku and his family. When I lived alone the second semester, it was worse, but I went to visit Goku and Mom a lot. I wasn't too far from them. When I couldn't go anywhere for a weekend, mom came and visited and made sure I got out."

"How do you do that?" Vegeta asked, impressed. "I didn't think my unspoken question was that obvious."

"Hm," Bulma hummed with a shrug. "Probably not. I was always just good at reading people's behaviors."

Vegeta took another large sip of his beer and nodded before he ate some nachos. "Well, that took care of my wondering." Then he let out a breathy sigh. "There is a reason I don't want to even be near that woman. She knows it, too. We ran into each other at the store and I attempted to evade her. She brought up my father just to get me to snap at her and engage me. She knows I can never stay quiet about that bastard."

Bulma's hand moved up to his arm, rubbing up and down its length. He chuckled bitterly before he frowned. "Something happened in high school that nearly destroyed me, which is why I don't want to talk about it now, and neither my father nor my mother gave a shit. My father simply bombarded me with more work for his damn company, trying to force me to take an initiative. He didn't care that I couldn't handle it."

He noticed Bulma frown, her brows furrowing, but she didn't interrupt. "Anyway," he huffed, looking back to his beer, "I hoped my mother would take my side. She always did when I was a boy. I needed someone to understand what I was dealing with, but instead she gave me hell, because my father gave her hell. When I tried to defend myself she said a bunch of horrible things. I walked away, and she thought it was over, but I ran away. Packed my important things and some clothes and stayed at a friend's house until the year was over. I had already been accepted into college, and my first year was already paid for. Once I filed for emancipation, I got financial aid. Changing my name helped, also. I wanted nothing to do with either of them."

"I understand," Bulma assured him. "After my father said all those horrible things to me, I always tried and tried to fix the relationship. Once he called me illegitimate, I knew we couldn't get back from that. I stopped talking to him because I just couldn't deal with it anymore, but when he died I felt terribly guilty. It took me years to realize it wasn't my fault. Vegeta, what you did was brave. If it had been me, I would have taken the words to heart and unraveled. I can't even imagine what you must have been going through, but whatever it was…they're your parents. They should have been there for you."

Vegeta didn't need reassurance for his actions, but he was still thankful for her words and gesture. He was already feeling better, talking about it with someone else. He hadn't realized it was something he needed until this exact moment. After all, he was used to keeping himself guarded. He was strong, yet he found it sort of exhilarating to make himself vulnerable even for a moment. That vulnerability didn't last long, however, as he hardened himself.

It was nice to have Bulma beside him, her hand on his shoulder gently rubbing it. Her silent support soothed him in ways he could not describe. They had finished eating and finished their drinks, but Vegeta was not ready to leave. "We can get a couple of games in," Bulma offered earning his undivided attention. "Bowling is a lot of fun. Maybe it'll take your mind off of things."

Vegeta nodded and then asked, "You don't need to get home right away?"

"My brother is with Trunks and his friend," Bulma replied with a sincere smile. "I'm all yours."

Something about her wording stirred something inside Vegeta, but he ignored it as he took out his wallet. Bulma's hands stopped him, though, and he looked back at her in confusion. "It's been a long day for you, so let me this time, okay? If you want, you can pay for the games."

He was stunned by her boldness but smirked and let her do as she wanted. That wasn't the first time something like that had happened. Only one other had ever made such a gesture. He had always loved her for it, the fact that she had seen him as an equal and not just some bank. He had to shake his head free of thoughts. He was not going to think about her, not now. No, he just wanted to focus on Bulma and these feelings she was igniting. If anything, she really had distracted him from what had made him angry.

* * *

The next day, Bulma found herself waking up in her bed with a smile on her face. She looked over and saw Vegeta asleep. After they had played a few games, they had decided to return to her place. They had been watching television and fallen asleep at some point. They had fallen asleep in the clothes they had been wearing, though sometime through the night Vegeta had removed his shirt, surprising Bulma with his physique.

The woman rose and started going about her day. She needed to get ready for church, and then get Trunks and Tarble up as well. As always, she'd let them sleep in for a while. Besides, she wasn't planning on waking Vegeta up right away. He had had a long day the previous day, and they had gotten in quite late from their bowling endeavor. They had both been so competitive, each winning a game, but Vegeta taking the third. They had made the agreement that the winner could make one request of the loser, and strangely enough Vegeta asked to spend more time with Bulma. He hadn't wanted to be alone, and so Bulma had allowed him to come over in the late night hours.

She knew it was probably unconventional. After all, they had just started dating, only officially became exclusive two nights prior, and he had already spent the night. At the same time, it felt like the most normal occurrence in the world. It made her feel something she hadn't experienced even when dating her best friend.

Before leaving the comfort of the bed, she kissed his forehead and smiled when he crinkled his forehead and then relaxed his features again. She went to raid her closet, gathering items for her ensemble that day, and then left the room to grab a shower. Once she was gone, Vegeta's eyes opened. He sat up and looked at the slightly open door. A satisfied smirk appeared on his face, though it disappeared when Trunks entered the room.

"Morning ma-om?" Trunks was looked at Vegeta with astonished, wide eyes, but then he too broke out in a grin. "Good morning, Vegeta. I didn't know you were here."

He didn't really know what to say. Vegeta knew exactly what this looked like, and he really didn't want the woman's son to look at her any differently. He got out of bed and moved to retrieve his shirt, mainly so Trunks would see he was still clothed. It didn't change the boy's demeanor. He still had that smile on his face, so he figured that was a good sign.

"Our date ran late last night," he finally said after a momentary silence.

"Did you guys have fun?" Trunks asked moving to sit on his mother's bed. Vegeta felt a little exposed the way the teenager just stared at him with fascination. He supposed he couldn't blame the boy considering all of his mother's relationships occurred before he was born. This boy just wanted his mother to be happy, and for some reason he was mesmerized by the businessman. At least he knew he had her kid's support at least.

"Yes," Vegeta replied curtly to appease the child. The most sincere grin overcame Trunks's features.

"That's great! What did you guys do?"

He wouldn't tell the teen that they went to a bar, or that he had tried to drink his pain away. "We went bowling. Your mother is very good."

"Yeah," Trunks agreed. "She played in a league when she was a kid after school, and she used to play whenever she visited her father."

Vegeta seemed surprised. "I didn't know that."

Trunks frowned which did not go unnoticed by Vegeta. He was reminded of what Bulma said on the balcony, that Trunks knew what her father had put her through and wasn't happy about it. "I guess she had to have told you about him, at least a little," Trunks said doing his best to keep his voice even. When Vegeta nodded, he sighed. "I really do try not to let it bother me, but it does. It wasn't fair."

Vegeta sat down beside the sullen teenager and just watched as the boy's dark expression transitioned to joy again. "Anyway, I'm glad you guys are dating. She's been really happy."

Though he wouldn't admit this to the boy, he had been too. Bulma had this way of making his day more bearable, distracting him when he had to deal with the pain of the past, and centered him during meetings while remained classy and poised even dealing with his father's old employees. When he had pursued Bulma, he had already known she had a child, but at the same time Vegeta didn't know how to interact with the boy. It wasn't like he was a young child. He was a teenager, but still Vegeta didn't know how to hold a conversation with teenagers. It had been too long, and his high school days were a distant memory.

"Are you going to come with us to church?"

Vegeta snapped out of his reverie, stunned by the question. "What?"

"It's Sunday. Mom, my uncle, and I always meet with grandma. Sometimes my uncle's mom joins us. I know I shouldn't say this, but I'm kind of hoping not today."

"Why?" Vegeta questioned, slightly curious.

Trunks frowned and looked very perturbed. "Well, I have a friend staying over this week while her stepfather is out of town, and I really don't want her to question too much. Mai is a little nervous around new people. Also, if she mentions my Grandpa…I'm not ready for Mai to see me like that. She's already going through a lot."

"Like what?"

The boy shrugged. "I don't know, yet. I'm hoping one day she'll trust me enough to tell me."

"I'm sure she will," Vegeta offered. "I won't be joining you for church. I haven't been to one in a long time, and I'm not prepared for it."

"That's okay," Trunks replied energetically. "Mom says it's always there when and if people want to go. Mai was a little nervous about it last night, too, but she said she was open to it."

"You like this girl, don't you?" Trunks blushed slightly, but he still looked content. He reminded him of Bulma, but that wasn't a surprise.

"I do," he admitted, "but I don't want to pursue her that way yet. You see, there were rumors about her going around and she accused me of just wanting…well, you know…but honestly I really just want to be her friend, and then see where things go. I don't want to scare her away, you know?"

Vegeta nodded and was surprised that he was talking to the teenager about his crush. Trunks seemed a lot more comfortable around him than Vegeta was around Trunks. He didn't seem to notice the adult's apprehension or rigidity. Instead, he managed to keep the conversation going and confided some things in him, even giving him a little bit more information about Bulma. It wasn't much, but now Vegeta realized more about Bulma that made him empathize with her more.

What he had with his mother, she had with her father. Apparently, she did have good memories of the man, and he destroyed all of that with words that cut so deeply. As he had determined, unlike him, Bulma could never have real closure, yet she was still very positive, warm, and welcoming. Her actions the previous night were not wasted on the man. He was thankful that she had put up with his rage, not even considering how she managed to quell it.

Trunks stole his attention once again. "Uh, thanks. For talking with me, I mean. It helped."

Vegeta was perplexed as Trunks left to go get ready for church. That was around the time Bulma returned to her room wearing a long-sleeved dress. She was also putting on earrings before her eyes landed on her boyfriend. She awarded him one of her soft smiles. "Good morning. How did you sleep?"

"Fine," Vegeta answered. "Your son mentioned something about church. I hope you don't mind if I bow out."

"No, it's fine," Bulma assured him with a wave of her hand. "Besides, I'm not sure if either of us are ready for you to deal with the craziness that is my family."

"He mentioned your stepmother," Vegeta told her and saw her expression sour.

Bulma sighed and crossed her arms defensively over her chest. "I love the woman, don't get me wrong," she began, "but decades later and we're still in a weird place. She doesn't believe my mom's version of the story. Where we've come to terms with it, she still has issues with my mother."

"Whatever," Vegeta scoffed sympathetically. "Anyway…"

"Anyway…" Bulma repeated. "Call you tonight?"

Her answer was a curt nod before the two of them left the room. Bulma brought him to the front door and he quickly kissed her before rushing out of the apartment. The woman had been pleased with the progression of their relationship, the fact that they could seek comfort in each other. A sound startled her and she saw her brother walked down the stairs yawning. "Hey," Tarble called out, "what's going on?"

"Not much, little bro," Bulma returned. He eyed her strangely, clearly not convinced, before he shrugged it off and went to start getting ready for their day.

Trunks barreled down the stairs, Mai timidly following after him. Bulma's eyes met the girl's, and the teenager looked away despite Bulma's compassionate gaze.

At least things were going well, Bulma decided, for both her relationship with Vegeta and her son's friendship with Mai. Things could only look up from there. With that thought, Bulma started on breakfast while Tarble finished getting ready for church and Trunks spoke with Mai on the couch. She smiled at how picturesque everything looked, and was even more elated by how things went the previous night. She couldn't wait to see where the relationship went.

* * *

On Monday, Vegeta texted Bulma and told her she had the day off. There were no meetings and everything in the lab was fine, so it just wasn't necessary. However, he did ask if there was anything she wanted to do later. They decided on going to a movie. It was not lost on Bulma that she and Vegeta would be seeing each other four days in a row, but she honestly didn't mind it.

Her cell rang while she was out, Goku's name shining on the caller I.D. She realized that she did something he had always done when he had tried dating in the past, even when he started dating Chi Chi. She had been speaking to him less and less.

"Hi, Goku," she greeted lightly.

" _Bulma, what's up? How have you been? Is everything okay?"_

Bulma chuckled slightly. Of course her friend was worried about her due to her lack of communication. "I'm fine. I've just been busy. Hey, are you free for lunch or are you working and this is your break?"

" _I don't go in until later. The usual?"_

"Yeah, I can go for some sushi. I'm just at the store right now, so I'll text you when I'm on my way."

" _Sounds great!"_ her friend said energetically. _"See you then!"_

Bulma hung up the phone and smiled. It had been a while since she and Goku had hung out just the two of them. All she knew was that things were going so much better between him and Chi Chi and she was so incredibly happy for him. His stress had to have decreased once Gohan and Goten had started doing better themselves. She hadn't spoken to him since she informed him she had gone on a coffee date with a coworker. Her friend had been so stunned, but he had been incredibly happy for her. She just hoped he wouldn't judge her for letting the guy spend the night. Then she remembered it was Goku. He never judged anyone.

* * *

They met at their favorite restaurant, one of the many places where Krillin worked. The short man had them seated quickly and got them both their favorite sodas. After taking their orders, he left them alone to catch up. Goku wore a big smile. "So?" he started. "What have you been up to? It's been nearly a week since we talked."

"Sorry about that," Bulma offered. "I had been focused on the kids, and also…something else."

"Oh God, don't pull a me," Goku teased. "No beating around the bush. What's going on?"

"Well," Bulma sighed, "you know that guy I was telling you about?" Goku nodded. "We're actively dating now."

His eyes widened, but his grin got even bigger. "Well look at you!" he exclaimed. "So, tell me. Who is he? I tried to ask Raditz if he knew the coworker you were talking about, but he said to wait for you."

"You're too curious for your own good," Bulma laughed. "But anyway…it's a bit unconventional. He's my boss."

"Your boss?"

Bulma blushed slightly but nodded. "We just clicked, to be honest, and he's been really good about not prying for information. Trunks really likes him, too. It's kind of cute seeing how much he looks up to him. I think he's very emotionally invested in the relationship."

"Well, of course he is. He's your son," he friend countered. "He just wants what's best for you. So, anyway, this guy, are you two official?"

Bulma grinned and nodded. Goku was taken aback before his expression reflected hers. It was the happiest he had seen his best friend in a long time. "Trunks kind of put us on the spot when he introduced Vegeta to a friend of his as my boyfriend. We talked about it, a little of our pasts, and then our exes, and I've basically seen him at least a little bit every day since."

"Uh…he knows about me?" Goku questioned, a little nervous.

Bulma nodded. "Raditz sort of mentioned it to him before, which Vegeta in turn told me after I told him. He accepts the fact that we're still friends. Come on, Goku. We dated like almost thirty years ago."

"I know, but I've been married to Chi Chi for a long time, and she still went nuts that day."

Her eyes narrowed slightly into a deadpanned expression. "We went behind her back, Goku. You have to know how it looked."

He sighed. "I know. Sorry I got you involved in that, but at least Goten is enjoying school, and Gohan is talking to us more about his social anxiety. I can't believe I passed this shit on to both of them."

Bulma smiled sadly and put her hand on his. "It's okay, Goku. They're going to be fine. At least Gohan just had the social issues, but he's been doing better since spending more time with his brother and Trunks. He even went out with a girl the other day. And Goten is doing just fine. Sure he has anxiety and the bipolar aspects, but he's been stable since getting into that other science class with Valese. They'll be okay."

"I know you're right," Goku huffed, "but I can't help but feel…Bulma, it took us forever to get me to a place where I was stable, and I still have to call you in the middle of the night sometimes because it feels like everything is out of control."

"That's life," she assured her friend. "We all get stressed sometimes, and you've learned that it's usually just a fleeting feeling."

"Yeah, but you know he's still in the beginnings of these illnesses," Goku grunted glaring at his empty glass. "It's all trial and error. So far the meds are working, but remember what happened when mine stopped? We had to go through all of that again. Then I felt great and stopped taking them…"

"And I noticed as well as your mother and your neighbor, so you started again, and then you felt great and started acting like your old self," Bulma reminded him. "Trunks is a lot like me, so he'll notice immediately. I'll notice. You'll notice. I'm sure even Valese will notice. He's not stupid, Goku. You've told him all of this before, so for the most part he knows what to expect. We can't worry about anything until it happens."

"Yeah, I know," Goku admitted with another forlorn sigh. "I just worry sometimes."

"I understand. Always have, always will."

At that moment, Krillin came over with their food and a new drink for Goku. "The usuals," he stated with a wink. "Enjoy guys."

"Thanks, man," Goku said before he turned to his food and started eating.

Bulma was always amused when her friend ate with gusto while she ate very slowly. Of course, her pace was slower than normal considering she was debating how to tell her friend what was plaguing her mind. "Okay, what is it?" Goku voiced. When Bulma's eyes shifted to him, he chuckled. "Come on. You're not usually this quiet. What's on your mind?"

"You're probably not going to like this," Bulma murmured into her glass. "Vegeta sort of spend the night."

Goku probably shouldn't have taken a drink, for when she said what she did, some of the soda spurted and sprayed from his mouth before he started coughing. Bulma quickly moved behind him, patting his back a bit hard like her mother's parents always did to her whenever she coughed. "Ah, w-what?" Goku rasped out as he continued to cough into a napkin.

"Not like that, but well…" She trailed off.

"Bulma?"

She chanced a glance at Goku and saw his wide, soft eyes full of concern. "Not like that," she repeated. "We met up yesterday to talk and then we went bowling. Then we went back to my place and just watched T.V. and fell asleep in my bed. That was it. And I was just a little nervous telling you because, well…I didn't want you to see me differently."

"I don't see you differently," Goku whispered, "but are you sure you're okay with this. It's a bit sudden, isn't it?"

"Maybe," Bulma responded with a sigh before smiling, "but it just feels right, you know?"

Goku did know, and for that he would continue to remain supportive. He didn't know this guy Bulma was dating, so he didn't know what exactly he was after. Bulma was an adult, though, and she wasn't the kind of person to just lose herself in a relationship. He had to trust things would be okay. He wanted to see her happy. Besides, if Trunks liked the guy and the guy was accepting of Trunks, there had to be something about him. "Then I'm happy for you. Just, you know…be careful."

"Hey, that's what I said about Chi Chi when you two started going out," Bulma teased.

"It is," Goku stated. "That's exactly why I said it."

"I will be careful, I promise. Believe me, Goku, I'm not looking to rush things. There's still some things I'm not ready to tell him, like who my father was. He doesn't even know Launch is my step-mother and she works at the company, too, and he hasn't seen Tarble."

Goku's brow raised in confusion. "Is there a reason he shouldn't know?"

Bulma shook her head. "I know how my father looked to the public. I want him to get to know me, so that he won't think I'm lying. My father made himself look perfect."

"For what it's worth, I don't think telling this guy would be a big deal," Goku conveyed. "There had to be some reason you told him anything about your father. If you let him stay over, he had to have responded well."

"I know you're right, just…well, you know how I am. I'm just waiting for something to blow up in my face."

"Heh," Goku chuckled, "that's sort of what I said at the beginning of this."

The two friends laughed and shook their head. They were definitely an odd pair, but they figured it's what made them best friends. When once of them was stressed, the other was usually in a better place, and they could advise each other since they had had similar emotional experiences for very different reasons.

They finished their meal, Krillin bringing them their bill. "How much do I owe you?" Bulma asked her friend.

"You got it last time," Goku answered. "I'll take it this time."

"Thank you," Bulma replied grabbing her belongings.

"No probs," Goku chimed. "I guess I have to get to work soon. What are you doing today?"

"Just relaxing," the woman said. "I'm meeting Vegeta for a movie later. Other than that, Trunks has a friend staying over while her stepfather is out of town."

Goku noticed his friend's darkened expression. "Something wrong, B?"

Bulma sighed and reluctantly shook her head. "I'm not sure yet. Only time will tell."

He was unsure what she meant by that, but he knew his friend. If something was really wrong, she'd confide in him. Deciding not to worry about it, he thought back over their lunch. He was still surprised by her whole dating experience and he hoped this Vegeta person would treat her right. His friend had suffered so much in her life that if she got hurt Goku would not be able to stay quiet. He only hoped this man wouldn't hurt her. Well, Raditz knew him, and he wasn't trying to interfere, so he assumed Vegeta had to be okay.

At least, in this moment, Bulma had this never-ending smile on her face.


	10. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Welp…the one story I've been on writing fire with this past week has been this one. I'm already working on Chapter 15, so with all these chapters stocked up, I decided you guys get another update :) Anyway, that you to everyone that's been reviewing. I just answered last chapter's reviews. Enjoy this next installment! Another conflict is about to be added in here. Yay…conflict…

* * *

Bulma had been at peace for the week spending time with her son, Mai, and her brother. They had gone out a few nights either out to eat or for some other activity. Mai was beginning to come out of her shell a little bit more, going as far as to converse with Bulma and Tarble easily. She was still a little wary of her friend's mother, though. After all, she couldn't forget that she saw the bruises. Thankfully, the woman hadn't brought them up again.

Work had become easier now that Bulma was settled. She even had time to visit sales and chat with Lime who was loving her new job. Life had become easier for her friend, and Bulma was happy.

Still, there was enough drama to go around. Paragus hadn't ended his quest of getting under Bulma's skin. The woman could tell it annoyed Vegeta to no end, but he couldn't really do anything about it. He was just waiting for the man to mess up so that he could let him go. Until then, Vegeta had to bide his time. The board was still irritated from when he had fired a lot of staff members the weeks prior.

Paragus, though, wouldn't let that happen, at least not without a fight. He wanted Ouji Corp. for himself. He would make sure that Vegeta would fall. For the time being, he had no leverage against Vegeta. However, he was starting to see that maybe the boss and his little assistant were a little more that.

No, Miss Hamasaki wasn't really an "assistant," but Paragus refused to acknowledge her as the leading scientist. He could admit that her ideas were new and fresh, but she wasn't the best out there. He was sure he'd find better.

"Father, what are you doing in here?"

The businessman turned and looked to his son, Broly, whom was working in the records department in the corporation, his expression softening. Broly was Paragus's one and only weakness, and for that reason, among many, he needed to keep him close. His son had always had difficulty holding down a job, and so Vegeta Ouji, Sr. had given him a chance at Paragus's request. It was definitely a position his son could handle.

"Nothing," Paragus replied. "I just needed a glimpse of an employee's file. I just needed to confirm some things on her resume."

Broly looked confused, his brow furrowing. "Wouldn't that already have been done before hiring?"

 _Always with the honor code,_ Paragus thought bitterly. If he wanted to see Bulma's file, no questions asked, he needed to come up with a good lie. "I believe she withheld references, and I want to know why."

"Did Mr. Kurobushi ask you investigate her?" Broly questioned.

Paragus shook his head. "I didn't want to bother him with details. My suspicions could be false, after all. There isn't any reason to bother him with this."

But Broly was skeptical and didn't know what he should do. What his father was asking for was completely unconventional and a violation of an employee's privacy. He couldn't go along with it unless he had proper authorization. "I'm sorry, father, but unless he signed off on this, I can't-"

Out of nowhere, the record keeper heard a random tapping noise and instantly went on high alert, looking around. Paragus instantly looked concerned. "Broly, something wrong?"

His son looked to him with wary, saddened eyes. "You don't hear it?"

Paragus frowned. "Hear what?"

"Son of a bitch," Broly hissed before leaving his father alone in the room.

Once alone, Paragus sighed and took his cane out from behind his back. He would have to get the file now, for he knew his son would be away for a while thinking he was having another episode. It wasn't like he wanted his son to think he was going crazy again, but sometimes his past problems came in handy.

He went to the file cabinet and began perusing the names. Eventually, he found Bulma's file and made a copy of all of her paperwork. He was able to take a quick glimpse at her resume, and according to the paper, she had done well for herself and he was impressed. It was noticeable that Raditz Son, one of the employees Vegeta had hired, was a reference for her, and a company where she had previously been working for did not have a reference listed despite the nearly twenty years she had been working there.

That was highly unusual and strange to the businessman, and he figured he could start there. He shoved the documents into his briefcase before replacing Bulma's file in the cabinet. He did it just in time too, for Broly had returned, horrified eyes staring into those of feigned concern. "Is everything okay, son?

Broly nodded weakly before returning to his desk. "Yeah," he hoarsely spoke. "I thought I was hearing things again, but it stopped when I left. It could have been someone stomping upstairs or the pipes."

"You've been taking your medication, I hope," his father responded adamantly.

"I have," he returned. "Trust me, father. I'm not stupid. I don't want to go back to those days."

"Good," Paragus stated. "It's possible you could hear something I could not. Your senses have always been better than mine, and my hearing is not what it used to be."

Broly breathed a sigh of relief at the confirmation and laughed. "Makes sense," he teased. "You are getting older."

Paragus smirked and chuckled. "Hey now," he murmured. "Just take time to relax, maybe take an early break and go for a walk."

"That sounds like a plan," Broly agreed. "And I'm sorry I couldn't help you. If you're really concerned, just get Mr. Kurobushi to sign off on it."

"That's quite all right," Paragus said holding his hand up. "I think I might just be a little paranoid is all. Maybe I need to take a step back as well."

"Maybe," Broly agreed knowing how much his father valued his company duties. "Anyway, I'll see you later?"

"Sure," Paragus answered, feeling he owed his son some time after scaring him the way he had. Besides, he had what he needed now. His investigation could be put off for a day.

* * *

"So, how's it been going with Mai staying with you?"

Trunks and Goten were in class, chatting as they waited for the bell to ring. The lavender-haired teen looked over his shoulder to see Mai sitting in the back of the room talking with the girls she normally hung around with. The only difference was that she looked over to him, meeting his eyes and smiling. Her friends were stunned by the expression that they had to follow Mai's line of sight. Their mouths dropped when they saw Trunks, both his and Mai's brows furrowing as they shrugged to one another. The two both went back to speaking with their respective friends. "It's going well," Trunks informed his friend. "I'm glad that she decided to stay. Mom took us miniature golfing last night. She said she hadn't done that since she was a kid."

Goten smiled, happy by how upbeat his friend was. He honestly needed that for the moment. He had been feeling low since the previous evening. Nothing had really happened, so he kept quiet about the feeling. He was certain it was just a fleeting thing and decided to deal with it on his own. Besides, it started bothering him in the early morning hours when his parents and brother were still sleeping. With Trunks staying in his uncle's room, Goten didn't want to bother the older man. He was sure he could wait it out until after the dance when Mai went back home. "So, I know she's staying over, but would it be okay if I came over tonight to work on some homework?"

"Of course," Trunks beamed. "You know you hardly have to ask. How have you been now that you're in Earth science?"

"Better," Goten admitted. "I still feel the pressure, but it's nothing like physics."

"I'm sure," Trunks replied, worry etched in his features. "You know, Goten, if you need to talk about anything, I'm here for you. What's causing you to feel pressured?"

Goten shrugged. "Honestly, I can't pinpoint it. I'm sure it's just a phase."

That did not reassure Trunks in the slightest. "Well, if it starts becoming more that a 'phase,' just make sure you talk to me and your parents. We'll all help you."

"I know," Goten responded, "and thanks. It means a lot."

"You'd do the same for me," Trunks reminded him. "So no worries."

"Alright, class," the teacher called after entering the room. "Take out your books and turn to the lesson on the board. Get started on problems one through twenty. We'll go over them when you're finished." She looked over to Trunks and Goten. "No talking with your neighbor."

Trunks and Goten looked to each other, Trunks rolling his eyes before smirking and taking out his phone putting it on his lap, just in case Goten needed any help with their classwork. At that moment, he received a text message and was surprised to see a message from an unknown number. He opened it, the message reading, **What? No counter? That's so unlike you.**

He knew immediately who it was and looked back at a slyly smirking Mai before sending back, **Eh, not worth it today. I'm not even going to ask how you got my cell number, but I don't mind.**

 **Yeah, well, I won't reveal my sources. Anyway, why is this class so dull? I used to like math.**

 **It's just repetitive,** Trunks explained. **I mean, the teacher always does this, since day one actually. Gives us problems from the last lesson, go over, learn new stuff in the last few minutes, get homework. Wash, rinse, repeat.**

He heard Mai laugh and tensed as the teacher looked over to the girl. Main simply smiled and said, "I'm sorry. I found the wording of the problem silly. Inside joke."

The teacher glowered at the teenager, but said nothing else. **Careful,** Mai admonished, **or you'll get me in trouble.**

 **Sorry, we wouldn't want that. Might not want to chat during class. Not sure if I can tone it down ;)**

Mai shook her head and slipped her phone back into her purse. She had the biggest smile on her face which felt so strange to her. It wasn't something she was used to feeling, this feeling of delight. Unfortunately, she didn't know how long it would last, especially with Zarbon coming home that weekend. At least she'd have the night of the dance, see what it was like to be a normal teenager for one amazing night. After that, at least she would be able to see Trunks at school and he would be wonderful and reassuring despite not knowing what was happening.

A frown marred her features when she thought about Trunks's mother. She had never pressed her to talk about the now fading bruises, but she was sure she suspected something. Her promising words said as much. Still, even if Bulma assured her she wouldn't do anything to make it worse for her, she couldn't trust the woman. Adults had power over children, no matter what. Even if they were the worst parents ever, they could still do whatever they needed to in order to ascertain that they were the best. Zarbon was one such person. She learned that the hard way after her mother had passed.

The purse buzzed on Mai's lap, distracting her from her thoughts. She subtly took out the device and read the message that was sent. **Seriously, though, I'll stop. If you need any help during class, let me know.**

Mai sent back a quick "thanks" before smiling softly once again. Somehow, even if it was something so small like that, Trunks had a way of making her feel lighter despite the problems plaguing her mind. His bright attitude helped her chase away those shadows, and his continuous offering of his help really meant a lot to her. She couldn't take him up on his offer, but it was nice that it was there.

* * *

Bulma was busy typing on her computer when her cell went off and displayed a number she hadn't expected to see. She took a deep, centering breath, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart as she answered. "Hi, Launch," she greeted coolly, knowing exactly what the woman would say considering she was spending the day with Tarble.

" _Why am I hearing from my son that you started working at Ouji Corp.? And why haven't I seen you?"_

She forced herself not to sigh. "We must not have crossed paths. It wasn't intentional." That last part was a half-lie. "I've been really busy learning all of this new information."

" _But why didn't you say anything? We could have grabbed lunch together."_

 _Yeah, because that's exactly what I want,_ Bulma thought. She was used to having lunch with her stepmother and Tarble, but part of her didn't feel comfortable being alone with the woman. Not yet. "My lunch break varies every day," Bulma explained, thinking of any reason she could to end the conversation.

" _How about we grab lunch now? Can you take your break?"_

Bulma looked to her computer mentally cursing that she was almost finished with her work. "Sure," she replied. "Just give me about fifteen minutes. I'll meet you in the cafeteria."

She hung up her phone and started shutting everything down when she heard a knock on the door. Not having expected anyone, Bulma quickly moved to open the door and found Raditz on the other side. "Hey, Bulma," he greeted. "Ready for lunch? Vegeta's meeting is almost over."

"Actually…" Bulma hesitated. "Launch found out I'm working here and she wants to have lunch."

"Oh, well, invite her, too, then," Raditz suggested. When Bulma looked skeptical, his brows furrowed. "What?"

"I haven't exactly told Vegeta who my father is," Bulma admitted, shocking her friend's brother.

"Bulma, why not?" Raditz questioned abruptly. "If it's because you didn't want to be associated with him…"

"No, it's not that," Bulma told him. "I mean, partly, but I mean, my father made himself look perfect. This company is one of Capsule Corp.'s sister companies meaning Vegeta knows who he is, and he probably knows what everyone else thinks they know. I'll tell him, but I'm not ready yet. I want to establish trust so that when I finally do tell him, he won't think I'm lying."

"For what it's worth," Raditz sighed, "Vegeta does trust you. If he didn't, you wouldn't be sitting in on some of the meetings with us. Second, he won't think you're lying. You have no reason to lie, and no reason to smear Trunks's name. I know this sounds callous, but he's dead and he can't hurt you anymore. I don't know the specifics, obviously. My brother hardly said anything, but I heard him talking to our mom a few times, and some nights I could hear him on the phone with you when I was still living there. What are you so afraid of?"

"The ground coming out from underneath me," Bulma joked lightly. "Honestly, I don't want to have a long discussion with Tarble, and I don't want to get into an argument with Launch. I just want to put it behind me."

"Bulma, I hate to say this, but eventually, she's going to say something to set you off," Raditz warned. "You're great under pressure, but sometimes it's too much. You'll have to face it eventually."

Bulma's sad eyes met Raditz, and he was stunned. "You don't know what's there to face," she told him. "I've avoided it this long. What's a few more weeks, right?"

"Just…tell him before it comes out in some big way that blows up in your face," Raditz tried again. "It won't be as big a deal as you think."

"Logically, I know," Bulma answered. "Emotionally, I still need convincing."

She left Raditz alone outside her office and started heading down to the cafeteria. It was time to face her stepmother. Besides, it was only one lunch. What could possibly go wrong?

* * *

Eventually, Bulma and Launch met up and got their respective lunches. The two women sat down at a table and began to eat. It didn't go unnoticed by Bulma that her stepmother was watching her diligently. She wondered what exactly it was she wanted. Over the years, Bulma had learned to trust the woman to an extent, but there were still parts that she kept guarded, especially when it came to her father. They were never going to agree on the man he was. Bulma did her best not to let her feelings be known, but Launch didn't take her cues. Instead, she talked up her father all the time, or at least offered the "your father would have been so proud." She'd have to swallow down whatever retort she wanted to make.

"Everything okay?" Bulma asked snapping Launch out of whatever thought she was having.

"I believe so," Launch stated. "It's just, I heard something else from your brother that concerns me as your parent."

 _Oh jeez,_ Bulma mentally huffed. She didn't know where it was going, but even as an adult her stepmother was still trying to "parent" her. It was something her father had done and said. One time, Bulma had made a decision that she knew they wouldn't approve of. It had been when Tarble was seven, and she had gone to visit for his First Communion. The whole family had been invited, but not everyone could get out there. It had been around mother's day, so Bulma called her grandmother and great-grandmother, and she had let Tarble speak with them without permission. There had been a lecture, her stepmother saying it was their job as their parents to protect them, and then the two of them had spent time making Bulma feel like the smallest person in the world. After Trunks had died, Launch went ultra, overprotective parent on her when her own mother let her make her own decisions and supported her.

"Oh?" Bulma muttered wryly. "What is that?"

"Are you really dating our boss?"

 _Oh, here we go,_ Bulma mentally scoffed, but she wanted to be honest with the woman. And she needed to be calm. "Vegeta and I have been seeing each other, yes," Bulma answered. When the other woman frowned, Bulma asked, "Do you not approve?"

Launch sighed before responding. She wanted to handle the situation delicately. "I've heard about his reputation," the concerned parent spoke. "He's known for dating his secretaries and having casual flings. I'm just worried for you. You don't know what you're getting into, and it won't end well, especially when he has authority over you."

Bulma blinked a few times, stunned that her stepmother was criticizing Vegeta in such a way. She didn't even know him. "Vegeta told me about his past, Launch. He's been very respectful of me, and doesn't lord his position over me. He treats me like an equal and, not that it's anyone's business, but this isn't a 'fling.' We've just been getting to know each other. He's good company."

"Even so," Launch pressed carefully, "he still holds an authoritative position. It doesn't look good for either of you, especially if you go looking for another job."

"Is this seriously happening right now?" Bulma asked, aghast and disgusted. "I don't care what others think. My work speaks for itself. I'm an adult and can make my own choices."

"I know, but I feel like I needed to warn you," Launch countered. "Bulma, I've only ever wanted what's best for you. Your father wouldn't want you in that kind of position, one where you could be hurt or ruin your career."

"This conversation is over," Bulma muttered darkly gripping her bottled water. The crinkling of the plastic helped distract her, but it did not calm the rage she was starting to feel.

Launch placed her hands on Bulma's. "Sweetheart, I'm just trying to help you see that you might not be making the best decision. I don't want to see you hurt."

"Fine, I get that," Bulma snapped, "but it's still my choice to make, and I am going to continue seeing Vegeta. I know what I'm looking for in a relationship, and if anything changes or I feel pressured I know to leave. I'm old enough to know how to deal with my actions. You can either trust me or not, but if not there is nothing left to say."

"I do trust you," Launch stated, "but I know how vulnerable you are. You're a single mother. Have you even considered how Trunks will feel? I know it must be difficult doing things alone, but-"

"I'm not doing anything alone," Bulma managed to say evenly. "I've had help from my mother and Goku and Tarble. That's how it's always been and always will be. As far as Trunks is concerned, he already knows. He knew about Vegeta even before we started dating. I know what I'm doing."

"But this can't go anywhere," Launch advised. "The two of you are coworkers and he's your boss. You and Trunks will only end up getting hurt by this. Your father wouldn't want that for you. Your father would-"

"My father would what?" Bulma snapped, but kept her voice low. "He wouldn't want me to go out with someone who has power over me and could hurt me like he did? He wouldn't want me to become meek like I did because of things he said? Seriously, Launch, finish, because this conversation will go nowhere if you keep bringing him up. We don't view him the same way."

"Bulma, if you would only let me tell you everything…"

"There's _nothing_ that I need to know about him," Bulma replied, taking a deep breath. "You know what, I lost my appetite. I'm just going to head back to my office. There's a lot for me to do."

Bulma stood up from the table and started walking away, but Launch added a saddened, "You'll only get hurt," that momentarily stopped Bulma before she exited the room. Of course, neither woman knew that Vegeta had witnessed their argument. He didn't hear much, but he was highly confused by it. He didn't even know that Bulma knew Launch for they were in completely different departments. Maybe later, he could ask the woman, but right now she seemed upset and probably needed to cool off. Then he realized that all of her morning work had been completed and sent to him. He smirked, getting an idea. Perhaps the two of them could take an extended break.

With that thought in mind, he headed towards her office thinking of a few places they could go.

* * *

The school day was drawing to a close, and Trunks was gathering his belongings at his locker. Goten had already joined him having already said goodbye to his brother who was going the vet clinic where his father worked to see if he could either volunteer or get a job. The younger twin had been surprised by Gohan's desire to get a job, but Gohan said that it might help him learn to deal with people better, and that was where his trouble lied. Because of that, Goten planned to support his brother. He was actually glad Gohan could handle work on top of school. Goten was still very much struggling with school. His grades had been better, but the anxiety still wouldn't leave him. It had to just be a phase. Stuff like this happened all the time, even with his father, and it always went away. This time would be no different.

When Trunks was ready to go, he slipped his bag over his shoulder. "Let's go meet up with Mai," he said, but then he heard snickering beside him. A couple of guys he knew from homeroom were standing in front of him.

"So it's true then?" one of them said. "About you and Mai. You're really nailing her."

Trunks eyes widened before he glared at the student. Even Goten was appalled by that. "Where did you hear that?"

"Oh, it's definitely true then," another laughed. "I didn't know that such a goody two-shoes had it in him. So is she really as loose as they say?"

"Shut up," Trunks commanded, his voice silencing the boys. "I want to know who said that, and then I want you to keep your mouth shut. Do _not_ talk about my friend like that again. Mai doesn't deserve that."

"Easy," the third boy said raising his hands in defense. "We just heard it. Everyone is talking about it. With your reaction, we thought it was true."

"Mai is my friend," Trunks stated. "Beyond that, even if there was anything more going on with us, it would be none of your damn business. What right do you have to talk about anyone else's life? You all disgust me. Come on, Goten."

"Right," his friend replied, eyes still narrowed at the three boys who all looked flabbergasted.

What surprised both boys, when they turned around, was Mai standing right there with her bag. It looked like she had been crying, but had stopped for some time and was wiping the remnants away. "Trunks?"

The lavender-haired teen flashed her an understanding yet sad smile before extending his hand to her. "Let's get out of here," he suggested lightly. "We have a bus to catch."

"Okay," Mai responded, a smile finally gracing her features.

The three walked together in silence, Trunks holding Mai's hand in support glaring at the groups of people who looked at them and whispered with Goten as backup. When they were on the bus, they went all the way to the back to avoid prying eyes. Goten sat in the seat opposite of Trunks and Mai shaking his head. To be honest, Goten had never liked Mai. She had seemed like a person who was nothing but trouble, who would use this tough attitude to command attention. After getting to know her, he realized that he had been wrong, judged her even though she had purposefully acted that way. Once he had seen how she acted around Trunks and around them, he could see that it was her defense mechanism for keeping people at a distance. When people were close to her, even Trunks, she seemed uneasy. He was glad he was beginning to see it, but it also enraged him that people were talking about her like that, degrading the friendship she and Trunks had.

Mai was so upset. After gym, her day had unraveled. Students in her classes kept pointing or looking at her, and she had wanted to know why. Eventually, she found out when she was accosted by some girls who apparently had secret crushes on Trunks. They called her names, said he was probably just using her to get off and that there was nothing special about her. Some called her words she didn't want to repeat. She had just felt so dirty even though she knew it wasn't true. All she wanted was to go home, which ironically was Trunks home and not hers. She at least felt safe there.

Tears began to fall again, but Trunks wiped them away. "Hey, don't cry," he whispered. "Don't let what they said bother you. We know it's not true."

"It's not that," Mai quietly admitted. "I don't care about the rumors, honestly. That's normal, high school drama. Just…no one has ever stood up for me before."

Trunks's eyes grew as wide as saucers. "No one?" Mai sniffled and shook her head. The teen's expression grew grim as he took in her distressed and withdrawn form. Before Mai knew it, she was wrapped in his strong arms, paralyzed. "I'm sorry about that," he empathized. "Not even your friends?"

"Trunks…" Mai murmured sounding slightly frustrated. "You're my first and only true friend." She felt him jump and pull away. He was looking at her with both disbelief and concern. She sighed. "Those girls are acquaintances and honestly the ones who started the rumors today, people I just hung around with just to…pretend I was like them."

Her friend's brows furrowed. "But what would you want to do that? You're great."

Mai blushed at his words. "Th-thanks," she responded. "Honestly, Trunks…I just don't like getting close to people. I don't want to get into it, but my life is complicated, and I've always refused to let others in to be a part of it. I do a good job at keeping people distant." She chuckled wryly, smiling despite her tears. "There was just this one stubborn idiot who didn't take the hint."

The teasing was not lost on Trunks, and he grinned rubbing her shoulders. "You're worth being friends with," he told her, taking her breath away. "Nothing idiotic about that. All of our lives are complicated. Friends help us get through them."

"Trunks is right," Goten interjected, earning the attention of the two. "I know I wouldn't have been able to get through the troubles I have without him and Valese. My dad always said his friendship with Trunks's mom was one of the few things that kept him sane when he was our age."

The raven-haired girl seemed surprised by this. "Your parents have been friends that long?"

"Longer than that," Trunks replied with a smile. "They've been friends since they were nine. They grew up together, and so have we. Redefines the phrase 'friends are the family we choose.' Basically, our friends are our family, so no matter what we'll defend them with every fiber of our being. It's why I defended you. Whether you like it or not, you're one of us now, Mai."

Mai felt her heart burst at the declaration. It had been so long since she had felt this genuine acceptance and care, that she was a part of a true family. She didn't want to give it up, but she knew that when Zarbon returned, she'd be forced to. At least she'd be able to see Trunks at school, but all of this extra time she spent…at least she would have the memories.

"Anyway, that explains why you were crying now, but not before," Trunks pondered. "What happened in school?"

"It was nothing, really," she lied before sighing. "Just, a bunch of girls were degrading me and calling me names. They said I was plain, that there was nothing you could be remotely interested in and that you were just going to use me for sex and kick me to the curb because I have nothing else going for me in life. I know the stuff about you was wrong, but they just reaffirmed stuff I thought about myself. I really don't have anything going for me in life, and there really is nothing about me guys would be interested in except for sex."

"That's not true at all," Trunks assured her. "You're beautiful, Mai. There's no question about that. You are you. That's all that matters. I just wanted to get to know you because there was something about you and it made me want to see the real you. You know, this side you keep hiding from other people and pretend doesn't exist. The girl who got three holes in one last night, that has a brazen sense of humor and kind heart. The one who got a one hundred and one on her first exam in the school when the rest of us struggled to get a B. You have a lot going for you, and these idiots can't see it because they're stuck in their own image of the world. They're in for a rude awakening when they get into later grades. Trust me, Mai. You're beyond them."

Mai couldn't believe Trunks's words, and not only that but the fact that he could remember her grade on that test weeks prior. He noticed things about her that Mai never really cared to notice about herself, or really couldn't since she was always focusing on surviving her home life. But still, this teenager claimed her as his friend from the moment they met, always trying to weaken her guard, and he succeeded, and he wasn't hurting her or causing her pain. He was doing the opposite, giving her incentive to fight harder, just to get that reaffirmation. "I…don't know how to respond to that."

"Eh, you don't have to," Trunks stated, moving his hands behind his head to act as a pillow as he leaned back. "Sometimes silence is the best answer."

Well, he had her there.

* * *

Bulma was frustrated, but once she was in her office and saw the picture of Trunks, Goten, and Gohan on her desk, she felt a bit calmer. They were young children in the picture, the scene taken before years before Goten's problems and now Gohan's seemed to arise. The children were so carefree back then, but they were all handling everything better now. It amazed her, how much they had grown up and how quickly the time passed by. Of course, despite the changes in her children, she still felt like she had remained the same. The pain she was trying to hide had been resurfacing. She figured that was the punishment of blocking it out for over a decade.

A resounding knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts. _A Godsend,_ she thought, happy to have been interrupted. She did not want to zone out for hours at work doing nothing because she was thinking and letting Launch's words get to her.

She moved to answer the door seeing Vegeta smirking at her as he casually strode into her office. Bulma laughed lightly, closing the door behind him. It was funny that Vegeta didn't seem to ask for invitations and just sat down on a sofa in the room. "I don't believe we bought these," Vegeta remarked. "You?"

Bulma nodded and took a seat beside him. "I had my own money. Besides, I brought in the couch here for when Trunks decides to stop by and do his homework, if I'm ever working and he feels like getting out of the house. Hope you don't mind that I brought a mini fridge in. There's water and fruit if you'd like."

"I'm fine," Vegeta replied smoothly. He grinned impishly at the woman. "Sounds like someone is making themselves at home here. I hope that means you're planning on staying quite a while."

"I am," Bulma answered. "The boss here is much more desirable then at that other place. Very capable and knowledgeable."

Vegeta chuckled at the praise. He knew Bulma believed it, but she was teasing him now. Nevertheless, he had a purpose for coming to her office. "So I take it your argument with the head of human resources and training didn't chase you away."

Bulma froze, her arms clutching each other. "You…you know about that?"

Her reaction caused Vegeta's brow to furrow in confusion. He now wondered what Launch said to Bulma to get her upset. It was possible that Launch was getting to know Bulma, for Vegeta had handled her case and paperwork on his own, making sure she'd be cleared to start working right away. Launch was never contacted, nor had she seen or had clearance to the private paperwork since it had never touched her hands to begin with. "I take it she said something to bother you, then?"

What could Bulma say? She couldn't possibly admit to Vegeta, right now, who her father was and that Launch was her stepmother. Part of her was still screaming that it was too soon, so she decided to tell a half-truth. "Launch was just being a concerned…friend," she awkwardly stated. "She overheard from someone that the two of us were dating and was pointing out the potential pitfalls of dating our boss."

"That's all it was," Vegeta declared, though it was really more of a question despite his tone.

Bulma nodded. "Yes, but don't worry. I set her straight. I just needed some time to myself. I'm not used to discussing my relationship choices with coworkers."

"Fair enough," Vegeta accepted, "but I hope she hasn't changed your mind about us either. As I said, I can keep business and my personal life separate, even if they collide slightly. I treat you as all my other employees when on the clock."

Bulma laughed at that. "So, you visit all of your employees' offices to shoot the breeze?"

Vegeta couldn't help but grin cockily once again. "That implies that I am 'on the clock,' woman. I'm actually taking a few hours off of work. In this moment, I'm your boyfriend wondering if you have a few hours to spare so that we could both unwind from the pressures of our job. Do you have much work left?"

"Actually," Bulma murmured happily, "I finished all of the work from the morning, and I didn't have much planned for the afternoon at all, so as long as my boss is okay with me catching up on a couple hours at home tonight, I can go."

"I'm sure your boss is a reasonable man," Vegeta retorted reaching out for the woman and pulling her close. Their lips were almost touching, his words coming out as warm breath against them. "He's been known to let others work from home. As long as the work gets done, he won't care, I'm sure."

"I'll have to thank him later," Bulma agreed, closing the distance between the two of them.


	11. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Well, I know you haven't seen much of Bulma X Vegeta consistently, so for those of you who have been craving more scenes of them, this chapter is for you, almost completely full of BXV bonding time. Hope you all enjoy. I'll probably post the next chapter this, which so far is my favorite though it doesn't really feature BXV (it will have some Trunks X Mai and the dance which is why I like it so much right now. This chapter is my favorite BXV chapter thus far ^_^). That will be the last chapter I post before I got on my trip. This week I'm moving, dealing with a drama-filled wedding, and then going on a cruise with my mom for a week (totally excited!). But before I go, I'll make sure to get that chapter up.

Thanks everyone for reading, reviewing, favoriting (which isn't a word, but is a thing, so…)! You guys are the best :D

* * *

It had taken quite a bit of negotiation, but eventually Vegeta convinced Bulma to let him choose a place to eat. At first, Bulma hadn't really cared, but when Vegeta mentioned a seafood restaurant near the harbor, Bulma's eyes widened. She knew the place. It was a pretty pricy place that she only ever went to for special occasions in her family's and friends' lives. She shot the idea down flat, amusing Vegeta to no end.

"Woman, you don't have a say in this," he taunted.

"The hell I don't," Bulma replied, crossing her arms. "Vegeta, I'm serious, I can't let you spend that kind of money."

The CEO rolled his eyes. "I don't give a shit about money. I go to this place almost every week. Why would this be any different?"

Bulma huffed, sighing before she said, "Fine, correction…I can't let you spend that kind of money on me."

Vegeta had frozen in his stride, looking back to the woman who was now looking guarded and refusing to make eye contact. The woman trailing behind reminded him so much of the Bulma he got to see the day her former boss attacked her so deeply. His brow furrowed. He assumed it had something to do with her father, though he had no idea what it could be. Still, he really didn't care about money. He hardly ever used any of what he made, continuing to live cheaply. At times, he even donated the majority of his salary to different charities, in memory of someone he used to know.

"You chose the last place and I _let_ you pay," he reminded her. "And the time before, you provided dinner and drinks. It's my turn this time, and I chose this place. I don't want to hear another word about it." He then smirked at her. "And I will be ordering for both of us."

"Oh really?" Bulma questioned, coming out of her shell for the moment. She sounded highly amused. "And you think you know what I like?"

Vegeta smirked arrogantly. "Just wait and see. I bet I'll pick exactly what you're looking for. Trust me?"

Those two words sent Bulma's mind reeling. Her frightened eyes met Vegeta's confident orbs. He didn't realize that the fear was not in him picking a meal for her, but in putting her trust in him with all of her secrets. She wanted to. She really did, but her heart and mind were holding her back. She wasn't ready to be shattered again. Not yet. Could she ever? She could only answer with a nod, her heart leaping when Vegeta's smirk became an impish grin. If only he had known her inner debate, he would not have found humor in the situation.

The restaurant was very nice and full of the sea atmosphere, instantly calming Bulma. She never knew what it was about the ocean, but anything regarding the deep blue world could pacify her even when she was a child. She probably would have become a marine biologist if she had inherited her mother's knack for biology. Unfortunately, she hadn't, but she still loved the feel of the sea air.

Vegeta had gotten them a table outside on the covered patio. He couldn't help the victorious smile from appearing on his face when he saw the woman relishing in the ocean air and looking out at the view. She thought she was so discrete, but he knew she was lost and he didn't mind it. Eventually, the waitress appeared and Vegeta began ordering. His smooth voice stole Bulma's attention. "We will have the seafood bake," he told the woman. "The lady will have a glass of chardonnay. I'll take a Belgian white."

"Will that be all?" the woman questioned. When Vegeta nodded, she smiled and went off.

Bulma eyed Vegeta strangely. He could practically feel her eyes on him. "Yes?"

"The seafood bake?" she asked.

Vegeta nodded. "To share," he explained. "That isn't a problem, is it?"

"No," Bulma answered, her brows furrowing. Actually, sharing a meal like this seemed very intimate, as did allowing Vegeta to pick out a drink for her. She observed the man as he lazily stared back. His eyes were dissecting her. It was like he was trying to figure her out, that he could see right through her. Bulma was becoming more nervous by the second. Vegeta scoffed and crossed his arms, slightly looking away, his eyes staring out into the water. "What has you so tense all of a sudden?" he asked coolly.

Bulma's eyes widened for a millisecond before she frowned and avoided her gaze. Instead, her eyes were on her tightly folded hands. Vegeta was stunned by her behavior, his eyes narrowing. She was acting as if she were ashamed of something. He then remembered her protests of venue earlier. His expression softened. "You really have a problem with me bringing you here."

She regarded him warily. Meeting his eyes, she shook her head. "It's not you."

Vegeta grimaced. "Launch, then."

"It wasn't really her, either," Bulma admitted before sighing. "Look…before I get more into this… Vegeta, I'm not trying to put you on the spot, and this has nothing to do with what Launch said, but I need to know. How serious are you about me?" Vegeta was clearly caught off-guard by the question, flinching as his eyes widened almost comically. "I know you aren't looking for a fling. I mean, we wouldn't be official if that was the case. I don't need a promise for the future or even a label. I just need to know where we stand as of now."

Vegeta regained his composure, starring impassively at his date. He breathed out through his nose while trying to think of the right words. He was never good with words when it came to emotions, especially given his upbringing. Thankfully, the waitress returned with their drinks and he mentally thanked God as he downed a large sip.

Bulma smiled sympathetically. She really wasn't trying to put him on the spot, but if he wasn't that serious, if he was just looking for friendship, she needed to know. Years of pain had led her to be protective of her heart and herself, even if it meant keeping secrets. Explaining what had her on edge would be difficult for her. If Vegeta was truly serious about a relationship with her, she would have to allow him in deeper than she had let anyone in. Sometimes, the idea of sharing these events frightened her. If he wasn't serious, opening herself up could very well push him away.

"Bulma," Vegeta finally spoke, "what brought this on? We only decided on this half a week ago. I…this whole thing is new to me. Is there a specific answer you want?"

She shook her head once again and then looked down at her drink. She sipped at it using her other arm to latch on to her other. Vegeta didn't speak, simply waiting for Bulma to speak again. She put the glass down and her free hand grabbed her other arm. She leaned against the table with her arms crossed. "Honestly, I'm just debating what to say, how to answer your wonderings." Vegeta nodded for her to continue, so she did. "My emotions have been used against me so many times, even by Goku though he had done that accidentally."

"How so?" Vegeta wondered. He didn't like the idea of the guy, regardless of the fact that he was Raditz's brother, toying with her, especially when he was still her friend.

"Well, honestly," Bulma murmured looking away, "Goku and I dated after I went off to school. It was a long distance thing, and we were only in the same town for the summer break. Once I was back in school, he was feeling the pressure of the distance, school, and his illness. He had only been diagnosed three, maybe four years earlier, and we still didn't know much about how to deal with it. We all learned as time went on, but because of the stress, he couldn't handle us anymore. Instead of saying that, he used my words and my emotions against me. He threw some things in my face that hurt so badly we stopped talking for a really long time. We were both miserable during that time, and it took me seeing my father and not knowing how to handle myself without my best friend to get me to call him. It took forever, but I realize he was being honest when he said he didn't know what he even said. When I repeated some of the stuff to him, he felt so terribly guilty and couldn't understand how I was able to forgive him."

"What did he say?"

"Well, I need to be honest with you," Bulma stated. "This is hard for me because you're a really nice guy, and you don't deserve this, but I have very severe trust issues when it comes to men." Vegeta didn't seem surprised. "I know I alluded to it during out coffee date, but it's always been really bad. Between my father and bullies in school, even a little bit because of Goku which I can never tell him, I have difficulties delving into my emotions. The reason I need to know where we're at is because I don't know if I can trust you fully."

She didn't want Vegeta to feel insulted. She could already see a flash of hurt in his eyes. "It's really not because of you," she quickly added. "Just…well, here it goes… My father, clearly, wasn't the best role model. When he was with my mom, he told her he loved her, that he wanted to marry her, and then she ended up pregnant and he threatened and left her. I didn't even meet him until I was a child with my own ideas and opinions. He lied to me so many times, even tried to turn me against my mother a few times, blaming her, but I knew the truth. I confronted him on it, and he in turn started using my emotions against me, insulting and belittling me every chance he got. They always say that a father is supposed to teach his daughter how she should be treated in a relationship, but all I really learned was that I couldn't trust him and that my character wasn't up to his standards."

Bulma didn't say much else, and Vegeta frowned. He now understood why exactly she was so distant at times. Her heart was very guarded, and her trust needed to be earned but it would be insanely easy to break. If her friendship with Goku was any indication, she could get passed being hurt, but only enough to remain friends even if it could potentially be difficult for her. She truly was something else, very trustworthy and open even though she was guarded. Her honesty was to be admired. He wished he could be that honest with others.

After a while, Vegeta realized Bulma wasn't going to speak up again. "I don't know what I am." She looked over to him, confused. "As far as a relationship goes," he elaborated. "I, too, have difficulties trusting people as a whole. I can't explain what we are because I don't even know myself. We're dating. We're exclusive. That's as far as I've gotten. As far as personal information, it is difficult for me to share as well, and you deserve to know why considering you've been so honest with me."

"Okay," Bulma responded nervously. She took another sip of wine before giving Vegeta her full attention.

Vegeta took a deep, shaky breath. "This is hard," he agreed with her. "There is a reason why my parents and I had our falling out.

"I was in high school, and it was around the time where my father had cheated on my mother," he explained. "My mother was decent when I was a child, but as a teenager, she lashed out at both my father and me since I looked like him. It threw me for a loop, and I was surprisingly and pathetically vulnerable. Then this girl came to town fresh out of private school and attended my high school. She was a lot like you, except less guarded. Very optimistic, honest, open…loving…everything my family wasn't. I fell for her hard."

"It didn't work out?" Bulma asked sadly feeling bad for Vegeta.

He ruefully smiled. "It did," he told her. "That was the problem. We began making plans for our future that involved running away from the town. She wanted to do so many different things I would have never dreamed of. She wanted to be a painter, a dancer, travel through Europe and Asia just to see the cultures. She was a free spirit, and at the time I needed that. I proposed to her when we were sixteen, planning to spend the rest of my life with her.

"But…one day she was driving to visit a nursing home," he continued, his expression growing grim. He couldn't meet Bulma's eyes as he talked about this. "She did a lot of volunteer work through the church. We were going to meet that night because my father had been giving me hell about the business. He figured out my plans after school, to take a year off and marry her, then travel. We had a huge fight, and my mother added fuel to the fire.

"I got a call from her, but it turned out it was an officer." Bulma could hear Vegeta's normally smooth voice waver. "She…she had been in an accident. I couldn't figure out what happened. Either he said the other driver lost control, or her car spun out of control. I don't even know…"

He felt Bulma's hand on his and looked up to see tears in the woman's eyes. "You don't need to finish. I understand that feeling."

"I need to get this out now," he told her, though his voice was pained. "If anything so that we never have to discuss it again." Bulma nodded, but she didn't release his hand. "I was an emotional wreck. I almost didn't go to her funeral. I didn't want to step foot in the church. I refused to drive anywhere because I just couldn't deal with it. I usually walk everywhere. I feel better that way. My parents didn't understand what my problem was. My father thought I should be able to turn off my emotions and focus on the company, and my mother didn't give a shit. Came out and said it, too. I was seventeen then, and so sick of my family. I couldn't be around them, so I filed for emancipation and was awarded. I stayed with the family of someone I knew and never looked back after I left for college. If it wasn't for the damn will, I would have never set foot back in this town, but I guess it just means that He," he said pointing at the sky, "had a plan for me. She always said stuff like that."

"She's right," Bulma replied, smiling sadly. "I mean, for what it's worth I'm happy to have met you. I know things do eventually work out, but it takes time."

Vegeta nodded and then looked at Bulma expectantly. He had just left himself very wide open and he didn't know how he felt. Still, he wanted to level the playing field. He did what Bulma was afraid to do. It was the least he could do, and she listened without trying to tell him what he should be feeling.

"Well," Bulma whispered before sitting up straight and removing her hand from Vegeta. She looked strangely determined, but still fearful. "Back when I was in college, mom and I were struggling financially. Mom kept getting fired, not because she wasn't good at her job, but because she was too good and others felt threatened because other workers and patients asked her questions instead of supervisors. They felt threatened and would find stupid reasons to fire her, like how she actually followed the rules of the hospital. Sometimes, people would ask her her opinion on which treatments they should get, and she'd tell them her opinion and the doctors would be pissed, even if it was the better option because she 'undermined' them. Whatever, point is, we left and moved to my college town, and mom couldn't find work. It was an out-of-state school so I paid triple tuition, and I was only short by maybe a grand. I asked my father for help. You see, he moved to a state where we could negotiate him paying for college, and then fled back to the state where he had lived previously to avoid having to assist. He had the money for it, too. But I didn't even ask for money. I needed a cosigner on a bank loan."

"A bank loan would have been bad to get," Vegeta told her.

"I know," Bulma agreed, "but at the time, that was my option. I asked him, and instead of telling me that it was a dangerous idea even for a thousand, he said he'd look at the information and then sent me a five page e-mail saying I had a poor work ethic and bad spending choices and how horrible I was asking him for money, asking anyone for help. So, when it comes to spending money on myself, even if I have it, it makes me sick to my stomach. When someone else spends on me…I don't know, I just feel like it's wrong. He made me feel so worthless my whole life, like I was undeserving of everything. When you suggested here, I freaked out because I knew the prices. It really has nothing to do with you, Vegeta. It's my own issue that I need to grow up and get over."

Vegeta was gaping at her, and Bulma grew self-conscious. She frowned and slowly downed the rest of her wine. Truthfully, she didn't know how she was expecting him to react. She hoped it would be better than silence. When she had told Yamcha, he simply changed the subject and she didn't bring it up again until he had. "There is no way in hell you truly believe that."

Bulma tensed and looked back over to Vegeta who was clutching his glass a bit tightly. Her mouth formed the shape of an 'o' before she took a breath and was going to reply. She didn't even get a chance to respond as Vegeta's angry eyes met hers. "Why on Earth would you believe that son of a bitch?" he asked this time. "You are nothing but a hard worker. I already told you how impressed I was by your resume, and by everything you've gone through. You're a _single mother_ for God's sake. Why?"

Once again, Bulma managed to avoid his gaze. She was feeling suffocated by his anger, much like she felt when Goku or her mother had gotten angry. Surprisingly, Vegeta noticed right away and took a deep breath, counting to ten to try to alleviate that anger. "He sounds no better than my father to be honest," Vegeta admitted. "I didn't mean to push that on you. You have to know he's wrong, though."

"I do," Bulma murmured. "Unfortunately, back then I let him convince me that he was right. I never had a paying job before college. I was struggling in honors classes. Then, in college I studied hard and had a lot of research opportunities, but they weren't paid positions, so my father made me feel like shit over it. When I was awarded a supplies grant, I didn't even tell him because he was hardly talking to me by that point, and I wanted it to be celebrated by people who truly cared. But I took it to heart, and when Goku and I broke up, I struggled in school. Nothing I couldn't recover from, but I had gotten two grades I wasn't thrilled with. I developed severe test taking anxiety because of that. That's why I never pursued further than a masters degree. I couldn't handle the pressure anymore."

"That is understandable," Vegeta assured her. He crossed his arms and thought about the situation a little bit more. He could relate to that desire to be perfect. His father had been a perfectionist, breeding him to be an emotionless machine, attempting to produce a ruthless, cutthroat businessman. His father had succeeded only slightly. The purging of emotions was Vegeta's own doing after he fled from his hometown. What advice could he offer a fellow perfectionist who had still be hoping for acceptance from their overly proud parent?

"His opinion doesn't matter," he finally settled on. "It took me years to realize that my father was never going to accept anything about me unless I was like him. I was not going to become what he wanted on his terms. I had a knack for business. Instead of taking on his ideals, I used my own and started my business from nothing. I didn't take, didn't screw over my employees. I was only aggressive in the boardroom when it came to making deals, but I never did anything underhanded or threatening. I refused to be him. In a similar fashion, even though you tried to win his approval, you did it on your terms. You never changed who you were, so that is why he could not accept you. You weren't him."

Tears managed to escape Bulma as she smiled. Vegeta's eyes expanded in discomfort. He hadn't meant to make her cry. She only laughed at herself and waved him off. "Don't worry. I get like this whenever I discuss this stuff, and also when someone compliments my character that way. What you said really moved me. I was always afraid of becoming like him, especially back in the beginning of college. Someone said I was just like him for a completely unrelated issue. This was back when I trusted the world with my backstory. It blew up in my face so many times that I could only confide in very few. But I always felt this need to run away from my problems, escape, and it just reminded me of my father and how he always ran away."

"A temporary retreat is not running away," Vegeta guaranteed. "You didn't run away. You said you stopped talking to him after he called you such horrible things. A weak person would have abandoned the idea of working things out much earlier than you did. A coward like your father would not have kept hope. You shielded yourself from him when you couldn't take anymore, and you've lived a very productive life in spite of him. You should be proud of yourself. You're a better person that he was."

A pang struck Bulma in her heart, her hand moving to her chest. She was stunned, and Vegeta's forceful stare implored her to believe his words. "Thank you."

Vegeta answered with a nod before reaching out to take her hand. When their hands touched, Vegeta experienced what felt like lightning shoot up his arm. The tingling sensation caused by touching her skin was unlike anything he had ever felt. He gripped her hand hard, surprised when she had responded in kind. He wanted to be closer to her, needed to feel closer to her.

"Here's your order."

Both Vegeta and Bulma jumped and pulled away from each other when causing their waitress to giggle. "Sorry about the interruption," she apologized animatedly. Quickly, she poured out the seafood bake in the center of the table and left them their tools. She smiled back at them, her eyes glinting. "I hope you both enjoy. I'll be back with a couple more drinks." Looking to Bulma, she winked. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

When she was gone, both Bulma and Vegeta breathed out a joint sigh of relief before the two finally laughed. "Oh my God," Bulma said, wiping a tear from her eye. "Who says that to a stranger?"

Vegeta shook his head and chuckled. "Don't ask me. I don't normally give that type of advice even to people I know. Besides, what she said…what _would_ she do?"

"Can we not find out today?" Bulma expressed politely, smiling shyly.

Vegeta's smirk never faded as he nodded. Truthfully, he felt the same as her, exposed and vulnerable. He preferred to push that aside for the rest of the day. Now that he had told Bulma the truth, they could move forward. She had done the same, opened herself up to be hurt. How had two people who had difficulties trusting found each other? Why did it feel so right?

He didn't need to think about that, now. They had the rest of the day to relax and quite a bit of time to get to know each other as they were now, pushing their not so hidden baggage aside.

* * *

Tarble returned to the apartment to find Trunks, Mai, and Goten all sitting quietly at the table doing their homework, Goten occasionally asking Trunks a question about how to answer a question in his history homework. Goten breathed out a sigh of relief, for he had answered it in the correct matter and he was okay with telling his friend as such. Trunks grinned. "See, man, you can do this," he assured him. "I've heard of the teacher. Even if you struggle on exams, the homework and glossary definitions extra credit stuff should carry you."

"Even after failing?" Goten countered with a snort. "Maybe enough to get a C."

"Hey, it's still passing," Mai offered. She didn't know much about Goten's struggles, but she was starting to learn more and more spending time with the teenager. Trunks always seemed concerned for his raven-haired friend, and now that she was seeing his attitude, not to mention Goten saying that Bulma kept his father sane, she was starting to understand that there was something more than just bad grades going on. "Your GPA won't take a huge hit, and you'll still be able to get into college with a single C."

"What about next year?"

"That's next year," Trunks replied, smiling. "Goten, don't stress yourself out worrying about the future. We can all only handle one year at a time. Hell, focusing on one week is crazy enough. All you have to worry about is completing homework for today, and then we'll just chill until your mom comes to pick you up."

Goten nodded. He knew his friend and even Mai were right. He had to stop focusing on so much, for it would become too overbearing, but he just couldn't help it. Why couldn't he relax easily? Why did all of this affect him so badly? Was he just weak? His father could handle it. His brother was doing fine too. What was wrong with him?

"Goten?"

The boy froze, his coal eyes meeting Trunks's. "Yeah?" He really hoped that his friend didn't do that weird thing where he could pick up on everyone's emotional status.

"You just…spaced out for a minute there, and looked really upset," he stated. "Is everything okay?"

Mai looked between the two boys who seemed to be having some strange standoff. "Everything is fine," Goten replied evenly, but it held a coldness, and both Trunks and Mai could detect a lie.

If Mai wasn't there, Trunks would have called him out on it. Actually, even though she was there, he was about to, but then Tarble came into the kitchen. "Hey, you guys."

Trunks flinched, disarmed by his uncle's quiet voice. He looked over to him, bothered by the fact that he seemed so down. He had been set up by another of his friends who figured that the best way to get over Maron was to move on fast. Bulma had warned her brother against it, and now Tarble understood why. The whole date had been a fiasco, and he had barely eaten anything. "Your mom isn't home?" he asked, prompting Trunks to shake his head. "Well, my appointment was a bust." Only Trunks knew what that meant. "Since she's out, how about I take you guys all out for something."

"We can order in if you want," Trunks offered, but Tarble shook his head.

"I want to get out for a bit, but I wanted to make sure you, Bulma, and Mai weren't already working on dinner. Besides, I don't mind the company right now. You three in?"

"Sure," Goten said, breathing out a breath of relief. Trunks's eyes snapped back to his, and he could tell by his friend's intensity that the conversation Tarble interrupted wasn't over by a longshot. Still, any excuse to get out of talking about it, at least for now.

* * *

A cool breeze cast itself over the couple, Bulma looking back at Vegeta a beaming brightly. After their lunch and conversation, they felt like doing something low key, and going on a tour of the harbor seemed as good an idea as any. "It's been so long since I've done this," she told him. "Thank you."

"Hn," Vegeta grunted his acceptance. "So long since what? Being on a boat."

Bulma nodded. "Yeah, when Trunks was little and I was going through a bit of a mild depression, Goku and our friend Krillin kept trying to get me out of the house. One time, we went on a boat ride. Trunks was only a few weeks old and wouldn't remember. I should bring him out here again. He loves the water."

"Maybe next time," Vegeta responded. Bulma's head whipped around so fast that he unconsciously tensed. "What?"

"You…" Bulma breathed out. "You'd want Trunks to come with us?" Vegeta shrugged and Bulma's brows furrowed. "Vegeta, I need an actual answer. Do…do you even know what you're agreeing to?"

Her answer was a curt nod before Vegeta wrapped his arm around her and kissed her. The way his lips pressed against hers made Bulma feel like a pile of jello and she had been thankful that they had been sitting. He pulled away from her, his dark eyes opening to meet her glossed over blues. "I knew what I was getting myself into," he reminded her. "You and your son are a package deal, and it does not bother me. That means I have to get to know you both. I will admit that his intense admiration of me is a little challenging to get passed. I have done nothing to deserve that."

Bulma smiled at the man running her hand through his mane. "Maybe you don't think so," Bulma whispered, "but I know how my son thinks and I can assure you that you definitely did quite a bit that he admires. Just, you really are serious about us, aren't you?"

"I am," Vegeta answered sincerely, never breaking eye contact. "I want to know you. Everything about you."

"I want to know everything about you, too," Bulma admitted.

Vegeta chuckled. "Stupid woman." His girlfriend frowned at this, but his smirk only grew before he pecked her lips one more time. Their lips were only inches apart when he said, "You already do."

Her heart skipped a beat in that moment as Vegeta embraced her. There was no one around them on the boat, and she doubted that Vegeta would have engaged in such a display otherwise. She didn't mind. Every moment with Vegeta set her soul on fire. "We still have a way to go with me," she disclosed. "It would take many days to get through all of it."

Vegeta nodded, accepting that. He knew she was beginning to trust him, and she had already put a great deal of faith in him. To alleviate the heaviness of the moment, he simply said, "So, when would you two like to do this?"

A small smile was his answer. "Not Friday," she told him. "Trunks and Mai are going to the school dance."

He smirked at that. "So you're free then? Not chaperoning?"

"Nah, he doesn't need me hovering over him there and taking pictures, though I'd love to. It's his first dance, after all. No one would blame me, but I can't. He needs to grow on his own. Besides, I trust him, and Chi Chi already demanded that Goku volunteer to chaperone because of both her boys. They'll all be fine. So, in other words, yes, I am free."

Vegeta thought about what he was about to suggest and realized that he and Bulma were already moving way too fast as it was, but he did not care. They had known each other for a couple of weeks at least, and he had already opened himself more than he ever thought possible in just a few days. It only made sense that he allow her access to his life. "Come have dinner at my place."

Bulma was taken aback by the abrupt request, but smiled softly and nodded. Her entire life, she had spent being cautious, and going to a guy's house so soon after becoming official was usually not part of her plan. With Goku, she had grown up with him. It wasn't the same, dating your best friend. Yamcha, she hadn't agreed to visit his place until they had been going out for two months. She always thought that she needed more time with a person to trust them, but Vegeta felt different. Maybe it was the fact that he was like her or maybe that he opened up, but he too had been hurt and betrayed, belittled and crushed. He was a stronger man because of it, and he would never do to anyone else what was done to him. "I'd love to."

There was no turning back for her, but Bulma didn't mind. She was just going to enjoy the ride knowing that she could trust this man with both her heart and Trunks's. He wouldn't hurt them, ever.


	12. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters, or the song "Falling In" by Lifehouse.

As promised, here's one more chapter before I leave. I have to finish packing stuff up today to move tomorrow, but I wanted to get this updated before all of that. Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed last chapter. I'll update again when I get back!

* * *

By the time Friday came around, the school was in chaos. Everyone was getting more excited about the homecoming dance that night. Thankfully, because of the dance, many had stopped harassing Mai about the rumors of her and Trunks. The day after the rumors were spread, she was still getting heat from girls and lewd looks from boys. Trunks, however, wasn't fazed. When a guy congratulated him, he shot him a glare and they hightailed it away from him. When girls walked up to him, he grabbed Mai's hand and laced their fingers causing the women to back away. Mai was so awed by how much Trunks cared about her and her reputation. He was protecting her from slander and from guys who would try to take advantage of her. He would walk her to classes so she would never have to deal with it alone even if he was late to his classes. What had she done to deserve someone like him?

It wasn't even just Trunks. Goten had become protective of her. When Trunks had to run to the bathroom, she had been waiting outside, and a classmate of hers trapped her against the wall. In seconds he was gone after receiving a punch in the arm courtesy of Trunks's best friend. The guy had threatened to report him, and Goten plainly said he would tell the guidance counselor that he was sexually harassing his friend. The school always did look down on that kind of behavior.

Valese also had been defending her, scolding other girls for talking about her friend so bitterly and calling them out on their jealousy considering Trunks wouldn't give them the time of day. She told them they should be ashamed of themselves for starting up all these problems for a girl they once called their friend. She very kindly and politely told them to take a hike and leave Mai alone for she had a new group of friends that cherished her. Mai had been so touched by that, especially because she had never considered the girl to be her friend. She was always Trunks's friend, as was Goten, but they somehow became her friends as well.

Even Videl and Gohan had gotten involved. Basically, the one time Mai went to her locker on her own, she was surrounded by students. She was starting to have an anxiety attack. Too many people were too close. She was terrified and quietly asked them all to leave. Boys and girls all heard the meekness and began taunting her and slandering her. Videl showed up and broke up the scene, frowning when she saw Mai on the floor sobbing. Gohan pushed some of the guys away while Videl went to Mai's side and patted her back. Mai looked to Videl with her dark eyes, questioning the girl's actions. Videl only offered her a reassuring smile and whispered that it would be okay. When the guys had gone off, irritated that the know-it-all was interrupting their fun, the girls gaped blankly at him prompting him to tell them to leave before they made things worse for themselves. Where he wouldn't push the women away, Videl would have no problem, and neither student had a problem reporting them for harassment. Everyone had left them alone, and Gohan had gone to find Trunks. When Trunks came, Videl released the girl and Mai clutched onto Trunks and began sobbing, tears soaking his shirt.

But besides all that drama, Mai felt safe. When Trunks was around, she felt the safest. It couldn't be helped, especially after staying with him for the week. His home was safe, and she never had to worry about being woken up in the middle of the night so aggressively or about being late for school because Zarbon decided to have his fun making it extremely difficult to walk to her destination. She would force herself because if she stayed home, he'd torture her more until he got bored of his game or had to go out of town. No, none of that happened when she was with Trunks, and he defended her and reassured her all the time. On Wednesday, when she couldn't sleep, Trunks stayed with her whispering comforting words in her ear while running his hand through her long, black hair. When she awoke, he wasn't there. He was so honorable and never took advantage of her situation.

At this moment, none of it mattered. Trunks was in his uncle's room getting ready for the dance. She had heard him arguing with his uncle about wearing a dress shirt and slacks, and Tarble had told him he should have thought of that before going to a dance. Eventually, Trunks surrendered, grunting and crossing his arms. Mai giggled. He clearly didn't like dressing up.

She honestly didn't either, but she loved the ensemble Bulma had bought her. It was that black, spaghetti strap dress with the wrap, and she wore flats instead of heels. To be honest, she couldn't really walk on heels, and would most likely fall over if she did. She was tall enough without them, she decided. Unfortunately, though, there were still some visible bruises and she panicked. They were so light now, but they were there. A knock on her door made her stomach sink. "Uh…y-yes?"

"Mai, it's me," Bulma called softly. "Is it okay if I come in?"

Mai hugged herself and shook her head. No, she couldn't let Bulma see her like this again, but if she didn't let the woman in she would think something was wrong. "C-Come in," she said after what felt like an eternity to her. She heard the door open, heard Bulma's footsteps stop before she came closer. The woman then did something very surprising to Mai. She wrapped something warm and black around the girl's shoulders. "I didn't know if you'd be healed in enough time, plus it's supposed to be very chilly tonight. I thought this sweater would be a better idea than the wrap."

The teenager was so shocked. She whipped her head around to see Bulma smiling sadly and sympathetically. A comforting hand was placed on the girl's shoulder. "Things will get better," the woman soothed, stunning the girl and causing her to look distraught. Her expression brought tears to Bulma's eyes. "They always do. Trust me."

"You…You aren't going to call anyone, are you?" Mai asked, though her voice was pleading.

Bulma sighed and shook her head. "I would if you told me it would help you," she explained, "but from your reaction I'm uncertain if it would."

"It wouldn't," Mai admitted, looking away. "I…I'm not ready to tell Trunks yet."

"I won't say anything," Bulma assured her, "but I'm sure you already know he cares about you so much. Is there anyone else you can lean on? Besides us, I mean."

Mai nodded. "My stepfather's brother," Mai replied. "He wants to help, too…but my stepfather has too much power. Anything we could do isn't an option."

"There's always an option," Bulma told her. "Whatever it is you need to do, we'll be by your side. Just, please don't get in over your head with this. If he hurts you, I don't care…you call us, okay?"

Mai grew alarmed. "He can't know I have friends."

"Why?" Bulma asked. "What can he do to your friends?"

Mai didn't know, but she didn't want to find out. "Nothing, just…" She glared at the woman, taking Bulma by surprise. "You swear you won't say anything?"

"At the moment, no," Bulma answered. "But Mai, this is dangerous, and I don't know how long I'll be willing to just sit and do nothing."

That was enough to scare Mai. She took a shaky breath. "If…if you say anything," she stuttered, "then I won't call if I'm hurt. I've been getting by on my own all this time. I don't need you interfering."

Bulma was about to speak, but Trunks knocked on the door. "Hey, Mai!" he called from behind the structure. "Our ride is here. Let's get this show on the road."

Despite the heaviness of the conversation, a smile found its way to Mai's face and Bulma noticed. She sighed and did the only thing she could think of. Mai froze when she felt the woman's arms wrap around her. She hadn't been hugged by anyone in such a long time save Trunks. She couldn't even remember the last time she had been hugged by her mother. He teenager fought back the tears and just allowed herself to be held. Bulma could feel her shaking, knowing she was fighting not to have a breakdown. Often times, that had been how Bulma was when she was Mai's age and just a little bit older. "You always have a place here with us," the woman stated. "If you ever need to escape, you are free to come here. If your stepfather tries to take you back, he can threaten all he likes, but I will do everything in my power to fight on your side."

"Why?" Mai questioned, tears finally falling. "You hardly know me."

"Because my son cares about you so much," Bulma reminded her. "And also…where I was never physically abused, my father emotionally abused me big time. You remind me a lot of myself, where there feels like there is no way out, where it feels like they have the biggest authority over us and could destroy our lives. My mother, who you met, dealt with both physical and emotional abuse from her mother. Trust me, I understand what you're going through."

Mai was so surprised, and she actually did want to confide in Bulma knowing that she really did understand. Trunks knocked again causing her to cringe. "Don't worry," Bulma calmed. "We can talk more tonight when you get back or tomorrow morning if you kids get back late. Just don't forget that we are on your side."

"I won't," Mai replied with a melancholy grin. "Thank you, Bulma."

"Anytime," the mother guaranteed.

Mai went to answer the door, and Trunks's grin fell, his mouth gaping as he took in the sight of his friend. At first, Mai felt a little self-conscious and pulled the sweater around her tighter, but Trunks stopped her, gently taking her wrists. His eyes met Mai's fearful orbs, his expression become more serious and stern. "You look beautiful, Mai," he complimented.

This was not what Mai expected to hear. "I…I do?"

Trunks answered with a curt nod and took her hand, a soft smile appearing on his face when Mai blushed. He chuckled mirthfully. "Come on. Everyone's waiting for us."

"Wait, everyone?" Mai asked. "How is everyone…?"

"Videl's dad had a van," he told her. "It seats seven, so we can all go."

"Before you leave," Bulma interrupted, "let me just get a picture of you both."

"Mo-om," Trunks complained, but he still looked happy anyway. "Fine. But be quick about it."

Bulma giggled. "Yeah, yeah," she remarked while taking out her phone. She quickly clicked the picture and then sent them off saying she would send it to both of them. "Have fun!" she called.

Trunks waved back to her as they rushed off. "We will!"

Mai looked back at Bulma warily, but then she smiled. Bulma didn't get the girl to admit anything, but now she had more of an idea about her home life. She wasn't going to do anything, not right now, but she would get advice from Krillin's wife, Juu. The woman was a social worker, so she knew how the system worked. If Juu couldn't reassure Bulma, she would have to find another way to help the girl.

Well, at least she knew Mai would be safe that night. She and Trunks would have such a good time, and then they'd come back to the apartment. As long as the girl was with them, Bulma felt better about the situation.

Her phone went off, a text from Vegeta asking her if she wanted chicken or steak. Bulma grinned. She couldn't believe she was really going over to a boyfriend's house so soon in their relationship, but she felt so giddy over it. She quickly responded telling him to choose. Honestly, she wouldn't be surprised if he were smirking. He'd probably choose the steak.

She decided to get ready herself so she could head over, Vegeta having sent her the address earlier. She couldn't wait to get over there.

* * *

The teenagers were enjoying themselves at the dance, all taking turns to get food or dance in the crowd. Well, actually, Gohan had been grabbed by Videl after they ate and forced him to dance for the past half hour. His brother and friend laughed nervously as the other teen kept looking to them for assistance. Valese and Mai looked to each other perplexed. They didn't get what was so funny.

Eventually, a slow song came on, and Valese got excited, so she yanked Goten from the table. The boy was so nervous having never really danced before, but Valese showed him he hardly needed to move as they swayed to the music. Trunks watched his friend with a proud smile, especially when he saw the two talking as they danced. Valese really liked Goten, more than Goten could even comprehend. Along with him, she was his friend's confidant and kept him stable. She understood the illness, even though she didn't grow up knowing about it. That was a benefit, Trunks guessed, to having a parent who went through the same thing. Goku's family hadn't fully known the extent of his father's illness, and that is what caused all the problems.

Mai was now just picking at her food when Trunks's attention shifted to her. She really did look beautiful, though she didn't seem to see it in herself. He could tell as her eyes looked to other girl's in the room who were showing off their bodies. She looked so sad, and Trunks wanted to take away her pain. The only thing he could think of was to show her by action how wonderful she was. He took her hand and squeezed it. She jumped, but when she looked to him her face lit up. She didn't know what it was about this boy, but he made her feel so happy.

"Well, well," an annoying voice interrupted their moment. "If it isn't Mai Tai and her new victim."

Mai looked down, avoiding eye contact with one of her former "friends," the leader of the group of girls she had simply hung around. "Lay off, Pidgeon," Trunks scolded. Normally, he didn't like to make fun of people's names, but she was hurting Mai and he wanted her away from them.

The girl only laughed. "It's Paigen, but cute, though. Very, _very_ cute. Now, why don't you leave the lost cause here and join us at our table?"

"Pass," Trunks growled. "Mai is my date, and I'm not abandoning her for you idiots."

"Aw, ouch," Paigen replied, though she didn't seem too torn up about it. "Your loss. However, I'm not done with little Mai Tai yet, so could you be a dear and leave us be for a moment?"

A new song came on, and it was one Trunks knew. He grinned and said, "Actually, Mai and I were just about to go and dance." He looked to his friend and gently tugged her hand. Mai seemed surprised that Trunks was blatantly ignoring Paigen. That girl was the rumor queen, and she could make his life miserable. He had to have known that already because he looked so damn defiant as he smirked at her. Mai decided to give in and got up, letting Trunks guide her to the dancefloor leaving a very angry queen bee behind.

When safely out of the queen's view, Trunks wrapped his arms around Mai's waist, gently rubbing the small of her back. Mai shivered at his touch, but smiled wrapping her arms around his neck. She took in his appearance as they swayed. "You know, you look good wearing navy," she offered. "Really brings out the blue of your eyes."

"I'll take your word for it," Trunks chuckled. He then smiled contently, but she could see the concern in his eyes. "You okay?"

Mai nodded, but she scolded him. "You really shouldn't piss off Paigen. She could make things difficult for you."

"What, by saying I'm sleeping with you?" he questioned. "She already started that, and it doesn't bother me. I'm more worried for you than I am about anything Paigen can say about me."

"What if she tells people you're sleeping with multiple people, that you're a player, or what if she attacks your home life?"

"One, I'm not interested in anyone else," he said cautiously, leaving out the part about being interested in her. Mai seemed to catch on, though, and turned completely red. "Second, I don't care if people think I'm playing the field. It's whatever. I care about what you and my friends think, and you all should know me well enough to know that I won't sink that low. And what can she say about my home life? Things are great with my mom. My uncle is living with us temporarily. Nothing bad there. If she lies and says something where drugs are involved, let the school investigate me and us. We're fine. So basically, she can't say anything that will hurt us. If she goes after you, just shrug it off, because Mai…we know you, the real you. Not that image you tried to make us believe. None of these other people matter."

Mai smiled and leaned her head against Trunks's shoulder. He was right, after all, so very right. Paigen really had nothing on them, and she wouldn't get her way as long as they didn't allow it. Mai was just always down on herself and her worth. She had been since her mother died, but after her day, she felt strangely better. She had both Bulma and Trunks on her side in addition to Pilaf. Trunks's friends had become hers in some strange twist of fate. Was this what it truly felt like to be a part of a family?

Out of nowhere, she felt vibrations coming from Trunks as he hummed along with the song. It must have been a song he knew, but he never heard it before. She was eyeing him curiously, and he eventually looked down and grinned. "Sorry," he said, "I just like this song."

"What is it?" Mai asked.

"It's a song by Lifehouse," he told her. "It's called 'Falling In.'"

"I've never really heard it before," Mai admitted. "But it sounds nice."

Trunks grinned at her, and Mai didn't know why. One of his hands glided up to her upper back, hugging her closely to him so much so that she could feel his breath against her ear, once again causing her to shiver. He began to sing with the song, softly whispering the words against her ear. "'Every time I see your face, my heart takes off on a high speed chase. Don't be scared, it's only love that we're falling in.

"'I would never do you wrong or let you down and lead you on. Don't look down, it's only love, baby, that we're falling in.'"

She wasn't surprised that Trunks was singing. She had heard him when he sang in the car with his mother, but this felt different. He was so quiet, in contrast to how open he and his mother were in the car. It was as if he only wanted her to hear him. She zoned out for a minute, but when she came to, she heard him sing the words, "'Won't be easy, have my doubts too, but it's over, without you I'm just lost, incomplete. Yeah, you feel like home, home to me.'"

He repeated the chorus and Mai felt her heart beating against her chest as she clenched her eyes shut. "'All those nights I stay awake thinking of ways to make you mine. All those smiles will never fade, never run out of ways to blow my mind.'"

Trunks stopped singing after that, and Mai looked up to see him smirking at her. He looked so confident, so happy being there with her. For a moment, she could truly see love in his eyes, and it made her both nervous and overwhelmed. Her eyes glistened, but Trunks wouldn't be able to tell what was going on with her. Instead, his smirk softened, his hand running through her hair. Mai closed her eyes, shivering again at his touch. He was so close to her, gently cradling her head. She didn't realize that she was being pulled in closer, both of them adjoining their foreheads. In the moment, Mai just let go. She knew what was coming, and both teens closed their eyes.

Their lips had been so close, but the loud applause of some of the other students watch their friends dance had snapped them free of the moment. Trunks blushed, looking nervous, though he was still smiling. "It's, uh, getting hot in here. Um, maybe we should go sit back down." Mai nodded, needing the space. "Want me to get you something to drink?"

"Sure," she whispered meekly, not able to find her voice.

"Alright," her date replied. "I'll be right there. I…" He clearly wanted to say something else, but he only chuckled and shook his head before letting her go. Mai watched as he walked through the horde of students around the snack table, making his way to the punch bowl. She did as she said, heading back to the table, her heart still hammering in her chest. He was right. It had gotten so warm that Mai felt like she was going to catch on fire, and the feeling itself wasn't all that unpleasant.

While she waited for him, Mai decided to check the time. They had to have been at the dance for a little over an hour. The screen flashed on, and Mai's happiness instantly faded.

 **You aren't home.**

She paled at the message, hearing Zarbon's sickeningly amused voice in her head. Her heart was racing for a different reason, now. Mai wasn't stupid. She knew what awaited her if she went home, but she couldn't not go back. Zarbon would hunt her down.

Trunks happened to return, placing a cup of punch in front of Mai. She nearly jumped out of her seat, startling the other teenager. "Mai, what's wrong? You okay?"

The concern in his voice was touching, but it didn't reach her. She was too terrified to even speak, but then she felt Trunks's hand on hers and she retracted. She could see his hurt, but she didn't know what to say to alleviate it. "I-I'm fine," she tried, but she sounded far from convincing. "I just…I need to go home."

Instantly, Trunks knew what was bothering her, but she didn't know why she was being so skittish. "Is your stepfather home?"

Mai panicked, her eyes widening. She already knew Trunks wasn't an idiot. "Y-Yeah," she replied. "He's not happy that I left without telling him where I was going. It's no big deal." She said that more for herself, desperately hoping it wouldn't be as bad for her as before he left. "I'll probably be grounded for a little while."

Trunks smiled sympathetically. "It'll be okay, Mai," he assured her. When she looked away, a fearful tint to her eyes, Trunks grew worried. "Is that all you're worried about?"

Mai didn't answer. She simply threw herself at him before he could react. He was caught off-guard by her behavior and slowly encompassed her shaking form with his arms. Amazed by her grip, he patted her back comfortingly. "Do you need me to get us a ride? I can go with you." She shook her head causing him to frown. "Then…please text me when you make it back, okay?"

"I'll try," she promised. "I probably won't be able to use my phone until after he goes to bed, and it's usually pretty late."

"That's okay," Trunks whispered. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

Mai's grip on him tightened before she finally released him. Her sad eyes left an impression on him, one he wouldn't be able to get out of his head for days. She walked away leaving him at the table. Goku, who had been chaperoning, had watched the whole thing. He came over to Trunks. "Hey, what was that all about?" he asked his honorary nephew.

"Uh, to be honest, I don't really know," Trunks admitted. "Her stepfather was out of town, and she had said he wouldn't want her to go to the dance, but he got home early and found that she wasn't there."

"Oh," Goku said, having a feeling there was more to her reaction. "Hey, need me to give you a ride home?"

Trunks shook his head, still watching the door Mai had gone out from. His brows furrowed, thinking of her reaction. She had hugged him like she would never see him again, and that thought frightened Trunks more than he could admit even to himself. That was what had caught Goku's attention, for one time he had scared Bulma so much. He had been so stressed with his job to the point where it was killing him and he didn't know if he wanted to live. Bulma had gripped him so tight that night, and she wouldn't let him go until he promised to call out sick the next day and actually talk to his mom. She had admitted to him years later that when he walked out of her home, she didn't know if she was ever going to see him again.

"No, I'm fine," Trunks said, interrupting his honorary uncle's train of thought. "I'm just going to call Uncle Tarble and have him come get me."

Goku nodded, but he was still concerned. "Trunks," he called out, finally earning the boy's eyes. "She's going to be okay. Everything will be fine."

Trunks flinched from having been discovered. He could only nod. Something didn't sit well with the teen regarding Mai's behavior. It was one thing to not like being grounded, but it was a whole other problem if she was _terrified_ to go home. What was it about her stepfather that had her looking like she was walking to her death? At least Trunks had gotten her to promise she'd text him. He didn't know if he would be able to calm himself down if he didn't hear from her.

He decided to leave, not wanting to be asked questions by Gohan or Goten. They didn't need to be worried too, though he knew they'd be more worried over him being worried. Taking out his phone, he dialed his uncle's number. He knew his mom was out with Vegeta, and he definitely did not want to interrupt their date with this. Most likely, his nerves were just getting to him, and it was probably nothing.

* * *

Bulma had arrived at Vegeta's place shortly after her son and his friends had left for the dance. She really hoped they'd have a good time. Then, later, she would talk to Mai about her situation. There had to be something that could be done for her. She knew she had to wait to talk to Juu, for she and Krillin took their daughter out of town for the weekend. Monday morning, though, it would be the first call she made.

Tonight was just going to be about her and Vegeta. She knew she was taking a really big step, and it wasn't as scary as she thought it would be. In her past relationship with Yamcha, she knew what going to his apartment meant, and that was a step she hadn't been ready to take at the time. She had never truly taken that step with Yamcha, even when she did finally give in and go over. With Vegeta, she didn't fear being pushed. They were still getting to know each other. Plus, Vegeta had been over to her place a couple of times. It was only fair.

Vegeta finished getting the final touches to their meal ready for when Bulma arrived. If there was one thing he learned from his mother that he held with him, it was how to cook elegant meals. He had a cranberry pecan chicken salad to start and the main course consisted or steak and mushrooms cooking in a red wine base. He placed the food on the dishes and set them at the table and then glanced at the clock, hearing a knock on the door in the moment. He snickered to himself. _Right on time._

He left the table behind to answer the door and saw Bulma standing on the other side. Beside himself, he eyed her up and down and smirked. She looked beautiful, dressed up fairly casually but wearing a nice, red dress blouse that hugged her form along with her jeans. He didn't know how she could make casual look so good, but she did.

Likewise, Bulma's eyes took in Vegeta's appearance. He was also wearing jeans and a tight, black t-shirt, and she was actually surprised to see how toned he was. His business wear never gave her this kind of view. She blushed at her own thought and walked into the apartment with a shopping bag. Vegeta eyed the bag curiously, but Bulma answered his wondering. "I brought dessert," she told him. "It's the least I can do. It's German chocolate."

Vegeta nodded and brought Bulma into the kitchen, and as she walked through the apartment, she realized that Vegeta definitely wasn't like the other businessmen she met. The apartment wasn't the ritziest, and the decor inside reminded her more of her own place. It was simple, casual, welcoming. She smiled. Vegeta continued to disprove all the stereotypes she knew and what she had seen visiting her father. He was more like her and it made her feel relieved. Maybe that was why she felt so comfortable around him. It was then she decided that it would be okay to eventually confide in him who her father was. He would understand. She honestly believed that.

Bulma was startled when Vegeta handed her a glass of water. She gracefully accepted and followed Vegeta into his dining room where he pulled out a chair for her to sit. Heart beating excitedly in her chest, Bulma grinned and sat down. She couldn't help feeling giddy at the thought that she was dating a real gentleman. His sincerity, his honor, and his treatment of her were all positive qualities that she had rarely seen in her dating prospects. Not only that, but any time men flirted with her, they turned tail when they learned she had a teenaged son. Vegeta was certainly a rarity, and she was becoming more attracted to him and content with this relationship. It felt so easy.

"Everything looks great," she commended.

Vegeta smirked. "I know my way around the kitchen."

"I see that," she praised, knowing she was very much stroking his ego.

Her boyfriend preened at her words before he took a seat and motioned for them to eat. She looked a little nervous as Vegeta watched her not even taking a bite of his own food. It was as if her were waiting for her to try his cooking first, and because of that confidence and hidden excitement Bulma felt the need to oblige. She delicately cut a piece of the sirloin and made sure to pick up a mushroom with it. Her eyes widened as the meat touched her taste buds and immediately she started digging in and eating with a lot more gusto. Vegeta chuckled out loud before he began eating along with her, though he ate at a much slower pace. He spent the meal observing Bulma loving all of her quirks like how she ate so quickly she needed to break and take a large sip of water before she continued. He watched as she went between the salad and steak, not just eating one at a time. Still, he didn't expect her to pause and looked up at him. As their eyes met, both of them blushed, though Vegeta looked away in embarrassment having been caught staring. Bulma, in contrast, was not used to being the center of someone's attention.

She swallowed the food nervously before chuckling. Bulma never understood it, but she always laughed when she was nervous, and being watched like a hawk as she ate definitely made her feel uneasy. Vegeta seemed to take the hint and avoided her gaze eating his own meal. It was starting to get a little quiet, so Bulma offered up some conversation. "So, how was your day?"

"What?"

Bulma seemed taken aback by Vegeta's gruff reaction. "Um…your day. How was it?"

Vegeta blinked a few times at her before his normally hard expression softened in a way Bulma hadn't ever seen even when he was telling her about his high school love. "It was…okay."

"Just okay?" the woman asked. The man only nodded before looking down to his meal. He resumed his eating, moving a little quicker than before, ignoring the way his heart was racing.

Bulma hadn't known what she had done, what memories she brought to his mind. There were memories of his mother, who always asked about his father's day, before their marriage went to shit, before the man had cheated on her and even a little after. As a child, when his father came home and started lecturing Vegeta about his birthright and duties, his mother would voice that same question to get him to change the subject. His father would then ramble on about his precious company for about an hour allowing Vegeta to eat and slip away. After his father cheated on the woman, his answers became more irate before silence cast over the table.

The only other person to ever ask him about his day was his high school girlfriend. She would always greet him that way, even if he answered with one, noncommittal word. One time he asked her why she even bothered to ask, before they ever started dating, and her answer was so simple. If he answered positively, she'd be happy for him, but it he answered negatively she would find a way to make his day better. She had noticed him going off on his own a lot of the time, and she had wanted to make sure he wasn't alone.

He doubted that was why Bulma asked. Maybe it was because it was her maternal instinct to do so, but it was definitely more than that. In that moment, he felt like his life was normal and peaceful. It was unusual for him to feel that way. He never did before, even when he was in high school. Had interacting with his parents sullied him that much that even a normal day in his life had been abnormal into his freedom?

Bulma took his hand, and Vegeta was brought out of his darkening thoughts. His eyes questioned the woman, but she only smiled and said, "You looked really intense all of a sudden."

Vegeta's eyes hardened again becoming more guarded. "I'm fine," he told her. He wanted to quickly change the subject. It wasn't lost on him that so far all of their dates involved discussing their past, and he didn't want that tonight. "And you?"

Blue eyes widened as her mouth gaped before she flashed a half-smile. "I'm doing well, too," she told him. "I just have a bit on my mind about Trunks's friend."

Well, they managed to sidestep a conversation about their pasts, so that was a positive, but he wondered what Bulma meant about her son's friend. "Oh?"

"Vegeta, do you know anything about the CPS system, how it works and what can be done for a child in a bad situation?"

Vegeta thought on it for a moment. His former girlfriend had been taken into the foster care system, hence how she ended up at his school, but it was a long process that he remembered hadn't been easy for her. "It depends on the situation," he stated. "Why?"

"Well, I promised I wouldn't say anything or report anything, and I have a friend who is a social worker I intend to call Monday when she's available, but I believe Trunks's friend, Mai, is being abused at home by her stepfather."

He settled his silverware down at the sides of his plate. His eyes implored Bulma to speak more. "She had some bruises on her arm and tried to make up an excuse, but I could tell there was more to it than that," Bulma explained. "She finally told me about it a little more today. She doesn't want CPS involved, and she seemed afraid of her stepfather and what he could do. She implied that he'd hurt her worse if she tried to do anything."

"She may be talking from experience," Vegeta pointed out. "It's probably why she doesn't want them involved. There are some people who can put up a front and hide their true selves from the whole world. It's possible that she already tried to get CPS involved herself, but this stepfather of hers caught on and acted as though he were the perfect caregiver, and then behind closed doors punished her for it. I would discuss the situation with your friend as a hypothetical situation. She may have insight to this particular situation."

Bulma nodded in agreement. "It doesn't stop my worrying," she replied before she giggled at herself. "I feel like I've become a real mother hen, protective of all these kids."

"Hm," Vegeta murmured. "It suits you, though." He didn't know what he was saying until the words left his lips, but he hid his embarrassment with a cough as he noticed Bulma blush. "I wouldn't worry about it tonight. She is with you and Trunks still. You can talk to her more about it later and maybe tell her about your friend. It may give her the hope to fight."

"You may be right," the woman replied. She then offered him a sad smile. "You know, we always end up discussing such heavy topics. We need to learn to relax."

"Hn," Vegeta chuckled disparagingly. "I believe you're right. So, what are you thinking?"

"Why don't we finish our meal and then go for a walk?" Bulma suggested.

At that moment, her phone went off and she wondered who would be texting her since the majority of the people she knew knew she was with Vegeta. "You should answer that."

"Yeah," Bulma sighed. She moved to retrieve her phone and saw that she received a text from her brother. **I picked up Trunks at the dance. He said that Mai went home. He seems kind of off.**

"Shit," Bulma whispered before putting the phone down.

Vegeta was surprised by the fact that the normally tactful woman was cursing. "Something wrong?"

"Mai went home," Bulma stated. "I assume that means her stepfather returned. My brother went to get Trunks. He says that Trunks is acting strangely. I should…I should probably-"

Vegeta interrupted by taking one of Bulma's hands and stealing her attention. She stared at the man, startled. "Is it all right if I go with you? We can take the boy somewhere to get his mind off of whatever is bothering him."

Bulma was once again stunned by Vegeta's offer, but she was also very thankful. "I bet Trunks would really like that," she responded, and Vegeta was about to say something else when she added, "and I'd really appreciate it, too."

Vegeta nodded once again and looked back to the food they had thankfully almost finished before the phone went off. He quickly put the plates in the sink before he was at Bulma's side. She gripped his hand, squeezing it to express her gratitude as they left Vegeta's apartment behind.

* * *

Mai tried to run all the way home, but the sandals made it difficult. She thought for a moment that maybe she should have called Pilaf to give her a ride, but the man would have been reluctant to bring back. It would have been great if she knew Zarbon wouldn't come after her. If that weren't the case, she would have stayed with Trunks. No, she had to face Zarbon herself. She would not let anyone else suffer with her.

She finally made it back and took her key out of the small handbag that Bulma had bought her to go with the dress. At the thought, she froze and paled. Zarbon would ask her where everything came from. Well, she had better think of a good lie. She couldn't let Zarbon know she had friends now. She didn't know what he would do then.

Taking in a shaky breath, Mai finally unlocked the door and found Zarbon standing directly in front of her with his arms crossed. He looked thoroughly amused, his long, dark green ponytail being swung back with the twist of his neck. "Well, you look lovely tonight, Mai," he greeted smoothly, though there was a hidden darkness to his tone that Mai instantly detected. "Now, where on Earth were you? I was expecting you to be home when I arrived."

"I'm sorry," Mai whispered. "I…decided to check out the dance at my school."

"I don't think I approved of that," Zarbon stated. "You know you aren't to leave unless I approve of the location. Is it not enough that I allow you to go to school instead of having you homeschooled? I had already approved of your chosen after school activity as well. Why would you go against my one rule?"

"A-Again…I'm sorry," she offered, though deep down she wasn't. "I…just wanted to see what other people my age do. I was just curious."

"Is that all it was?" her stepfather pressed, his voice becoming angrier. "I take it my brother bought you that ensemble."

Mai panicked. She just knew he'd ask. She didn't want to get Pilaf in trouble, but even he said Zarbon couldn't know about her friends. "A-Actually," she stammered, "this is something that belonged to my mother. I found it in my closet."

Zarbon's eyes narrowed, and Mai realized that he didn't buy it. "I was married to your mother for three years, Mai. I know everything that belonged to her. This is new. It amuses me that you think you can get away with lying, though it seems like you want to receive the brunt of my punishment. That's fine. I'll leave my brother out of it. This time."

In her heart, she felt relief, but her mind was on high alert. She was just waiting for him to snap. "W-Well," she responded, "I guess I'll just go upstairs and change. I-If you need anything…"

Mai moved to head up the stairs, but Zarbon's arm slammed against the wall blocking her path. Her eyes shifted to his face and she could see the fire in his eyes. "Oh Mai," he cooed darkly. "It's laughable that you still think you can get away."

Before she could react, she felt the initial hit and hit her head on wall before she was yanked away and into the living room. Now Mai realized why he had decided not to clean his mess up. She could only pray that she survived whatever he had in store for her.

* * *

Trunks was lying awake in bed glancing at the digital clock that indicated the early morning hours. He had had a decent night, his mother and Vegeta coming to the apartment and talking with him. He told them about how Mai left and he noticed the two adults exchange wary glances. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why, but it didn't make him feel any better. He had still been waiting then for Mai to message him, to let him know she was safe. His heart had been beating rapidly all night and he was tense. Vegeta, though, offered to take him and his mother to a movie. It was a nice change of pace, and Trunks actually felt excited, but of course during the whole movie all he could think about was Mai.

They returned to the place late, Bulma letting Trunks inside before taking Vegeta back to his place. Tarble had been up and talked with Trunks for a while asking how it was going with his mother and Vegeta. So far, his uncle hadn't met the guy for he was in the shower when his mom and Vegeta first arrived. Trunks decided to indulge his uncle about the man he was beginning to idolize. Even that, though, could not distract him.

Eventually, Trunks had decided to go to his room. It was midnight at the time he retreated and he still had not heard from Mai. She had warned him she'd be grounded, but the way she acted when she left and the way she clung to him made him feel like something was amiss. The anxiety he was feeling was keeping him awake. He tried everything. He did the majority of his homework, watched some shows online, played some videogames, read some manga, and, when everything else could no long keep his attention, he decided to lie in bed. Looking to his phone every five minutes didn't help, so he placed it on his night stand and stared at the clock as the minutes ticked on.

By four in the morning, his text alert finally rang and he instantly shot up and went for his phone. His eyes softened when he saw Mai's name, highly relieved. **Hey,** it read. **Sorry if I woke you up.**

Trunks smiled slightly. **I was up,** he admitted. He left it at that not wanting to tell her that he had been up because of her. **Everything okay?**

It took a few minutes before she replied again. **Yeah. My stepfather is just really mad.**

 **I'm sorry,** Trunks responded. **Is there anything I can do?**

 **No,** she returned a little too quickly. **Just…thank you for tonight. I did have a really nice time all things considered. Again I'm sorry I texted so late.**

 **Mai, you can text me whenever,** he assured her. **You're my friend and if you ever need anything, I'm here for you.**

Again, it took her more than a few minutes to reply. **Thank you. Have a good night.**

 **You too, Mai.** Trunks waited a moment before he sent another message. **Mai…you can tell me anything, you know.**

After a while, Mai said nothing else causing Trunks to sigh. As he was about to put his phone down, his phone rang again. **I do know. Maybe another time, though. I really need to get some rest and so do you.**

Trunks beamed slightly at that. **Yeah, true. Well, pleasant dreams, beautiful.**

He blushed slightly after adding that last word in, but he was able to relax when Mai didn't ask him about it. There was no way to hide that he had thought her beautiful. His mind instantly went to their almost kiss. Having Mai in his arms felt right. He remembered asking his mother when he was younger how to tell if you were in love, and she had promised him that when he met the right person he would just simply know.

He knew since the moment he laid eyes on Mai that he would pursue her. He didn't care about the rumors or her reputation. All he cared about was getting to know her, and he was so happy he did. Trunks got to see Mai in ways that no one else ever would because she was truly herself around him. She was funny, smart, outgoing, and kind. He liked her way more than a friend should, but it didn't bother him. Nothing about their relationship bothered him…not that they were in a relationship, but still.

At least he knew she was safe, and that alone lifted a weight off of his shoulders. His exhaustion caught up with him as his head hit the pillow. He immediately blacked out thinking of Mai and his feelings for her. That night he dreamt about taking her out on a real date where it would be the two of them alone. He smiled. The day that happened would be a very good day, indeed.


	13. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

And I'm back. I had a really great trip with my mom, though we both got sick. I guess someone came on the boat sick and everyone by the end of the trip had a cold even some of the staff. Even more disconcerting, a whole other bunch of people were getting on after us. Pretty sure there's no Lysol, though there is hand sanitizer stations. Yeah, people need to cover their mouths.

Anyway, enough of my rant XD I'm already working on Chapter 16, having written a bit on the cruise, and because of a really fun experience we had there, a scene in that chapter will be based off of it and I am so excited to write that. I'll be working on that later today after I type up what I wrote. For now, enjoy Chapter 12!

* * *

Saturday proved to be a beautiful day. It was breezy but not cold and sunny but not hot. Unfortunately, it was not a perfect day. Bulma woke up and got started on breakfast, but the entire time she cooked she could only think of Mai being back with a man who was hurting her. She wished more than ever that she could get through to Juu immediately, but she still had to wait two days. She knew how worried Trunks was. She felt like she was lying to him by not telling him about Mai, but she had promised the girl she would keep quiet for now. She had no doubt she would confide in Trunks sooner or later. Still, she felt horrible for her son.

The night before, when she and Vegeta had returned to her place, they sat down with Trunks and talked with him. He expressed his concern, told them that Mai was fine one minute and then when she received the text from her stepfather she seemed so scared and hugged him so tightly. His concern was evident in his eyes and voice and it reminded Bulma so much of the times where Goku would go off the radar for an hour or two and she'd think the worst sending him texts begging him to respond. Sometimes he had just been sleeping and other times he had been trying to avoid talking, but he could never leave her panicking like that for long for she'd end up calling his house phone and talk to his mother.

As they got older, that waned, but there were still moments where he had said things that terrified Bulma and she would hug him tightly and refuse to let him leave until he promised her he would be okay and wouldn't hurt himself. Where this situation with her son and Mai were different, that fear Trunks and Mai were both feeling was very much the same.

Thankfully, Vegeta wanted to get involved. He had offered to take them out and get Trunks's mind off of everything. It didn't make him forget, but Trunks at least seemed to have a good time. When Bulma dropped Vegeta off at his apartment, he stated that they might want to move their boat trip up earlier. His words and kindness always melted Bulma's heart. They had only just started dating and he already was inserting himself into her son's life. In a strange way, it felt like they were co-parenting. She wouldn't tell him that, worried he might get embarrassed or pull away. No, she liked his behavior very much for she could see how happy her son was as well.

"Morning mom."

Bulma turned to see her teenaged son sitting down at the table. His hair looked a mess, but she was more distracted by his sluggish movements. He looked like he was about to pass out again even though he just arrived for breakfast. Her lips twitched downwards as her worry for her son increased. She gathered the pancakes she had just made and placed them down on the table before taking a seat next to her son smoothing out his hair. Trunks simply snorted a laugh before he leaned against the woman. "Thanks," he muttered against her shoulder.

The mother smiled sadly. "You look like you're about to drop, kid," she teased lightly with a hint of chiding. "What time did you get to bed?"

"I couldn't sleep until Mai told me she was all right," Trunks replied. Bulma's heart ached for him just from knowing that feeling all too well. "She texted me after four and said she'd be grounded for a while."

Bulma nodded feeling a twinge of relief. At least she knew that Mai was alive even if she could be hurt. That was going to have to be enough of a consolation until Bulma came up with a plan. For now, she needed to make sure her son was okay. He needed to keep up his strength if he was going to be there for Mai. This was not going to be an easy road for him either.

"I made pancakes," she offered.

Her son perked up a little at the mention of food. "Chocolate chip?" he asked hopefully making his mother chuckle as she nodded. He beamed at her. "Awesome! Thank you."

She ran her hand over his head before standing up. "You're welcome. I'll get you the agave. Anything in particular you want to drink?"

Trunks thought about it for a moment. "Uh, think Uncle Tarble would mind if I used his coffee maker thing? I think I may need it."

Bulma nodded. "Don't drink too much. You know how we get with too much caffeine."

"I know, I know," Trunks sighed before grinning. "So, what are you up to today?"

"Well, Vegeta and I went on a boat tour the other day of the harbor and we thought it would be a nice outing for the three of us to do."

"Three of us?" Trunks questioned, his eyes wide. "You mean me too?"

Bulma laughed at that. "Oh course that means you too, silly. What do you think?"

"I'd love to come," Trunks replied excitedly. "It's been so long since I've been to the harbor."

The mother nodded knowing that Trunks probably missed the water. He always loved it, even as a baby. She didn't take him out on boats much, but whenever they went to the beach usually Goku or Krillin had to go out and retrieve him because he swam out too far. Taking him to the aquarium when he was younger was always fun. He was very hands-on wanting to touch everything. She remembered when he was a baby and he tried to touch the fish behind the glass, his eyes full of wonder.

"Thankfully it's a nice day for it," she stated as she pulled herself from her fond memories. "Now, let's get you fed and some coffee. You need to be wide awake."

"Okay," Trunks hummed as he used his hands as a pillow on the table, his chin resting on them. He closed his eyes for a moment before finally taking in a deep breath and forcing himself up to reach for the pancakes. True to her word, his mother got out the agave nectar, their maple syrup substitute due to her mild maple allergy and his severe one. He poured a good amount over the pancakes and started eating and, by the time he was done with the meal and coffee, he was ready for the day.

He went upstairs to go get dressed and ready. Seeing his phone on his nightstand, he paused. He wondered if Mai was up and going about her day. He decided to send her a quick text just to let her know he was thinking about her. He didn't expect a reply seeing as she was grounded, but she'd see it later and know she was on his mind. **Good morning, beautiful.**

After sending the message, he grabbed a change of clothes and decided to grab a shower figuring it would give him even more energy. He was very much looking forward to his day with his mother and Vegeta.

* * *

Meanwhile, Mai was just waking up and very hungry, yet she dared not leave her room. In fact, she didn't need to leave the room much at all. She would sometimes sneak nonperishable food in a secret compartment in the wall. She had her own bathroom so she didn't need to leave to get water for she had the sink and shower and could go to the bathroom. She could hear Zarbon's footsteps from her room and sometimes could hear his voice. It only served to terrify her. He never spoke when it was the two of them alone unless he was taunting her as he beat her or if he was on the phone. There was only one person he spoke to on the phone.

His boss.

Zarbon was a wealthy businessman, serving the creepiest CEO in the country and possibly the world, Frieza Cold who had taken over for his father, affectionately nicknamed King Cold, after he retired. The company had flourished, but only after using thinly veiled threats to run his competitors into the ground and out of business. Frieza's son, Kuriza, was no better. To be honest, he was just a year younger than her, fourteen, and he had his nice moments, but it was clear he was taking on his father's persona and he frightened her. She hated when she heard Zarbon talking most of all because it only meant one thing. Frieza and his son would be paying them a visit.

Mai almost went over to her hidden stash of food before Zarbon nearly punched open her door. She jumped, her eyes wide and scared as she looked to him. Daring not to speak, she just nodded indicating that she was listening. "Mr. Cold and his son will be joining us today for lunch. Get downstairs, eat something, and get yourself ready."

"Okay," Mai agreed thankful when Zarbon walked away. She should feel relieved that he decided to leave her be, but knowing that Kuriza would be there later bothered her. Lingering on that thought wouldn't help her for she had limited time to eat and get changed. She decided to check the time but saw that she had a message on her phone that was only received a moment earlier. She sighed. It had been a good idea to keep her phone on silent just in case Zarbon showed up. That way she'd be able to protect Trunks from being under Zarbon's radar.

 **Good morning, beautiful,** it read making Mai blush profusely. She set the phone down as her heart beat rapidly. She couldn't even linger on that because of her time limit. The longer she took, the more high-strung Zarbon would be, and even though company was coming he wouldn't care if she was sporting anymore bruises. Mr. Cold didn't care, and Kuriza…well, thinking of the boy just made her shiver.

Mai instantly stood up and hurried downstairs to eat a bowl of cereal, something quick so that she could hurry back to her room. She would be safe there until company arrived. Most likely Zarbon would leave her alone for a few hours. That would give her time to herself.

She quickly ate and then retreated back to safety taking a shower and getting changed. Then she went to the secret compartment and grabbed her sketchbook and her drawing and colored pencils. She figured she could pass the time with something she enjoyed. Of course, it was a little difficult to draw considering how much her arms and wrist hurt. Still, she forced through the pain and spent a little time sketching random things. Normally she'd draw things that made her happy and reminded her of her mother like butterflies and rainbows. Her mother was always very into nature and encouraged Mai to always see beauty in others even when it was heavily veiled. The woman always saw good in others even if it truly wasn't there. That was probably how she ended up with Zarbon, though even Pilaf and Mai had never known Zarbon's true colors until after her mother passed away.

She snapped out of her thoughts and closed her sketchbook. Drawing wasn't helping at all. Instead, she decided to get out one of the coloring books Pilaf had bought her for her birthday. Of course, he had had to sneak it to her weeks later after Zarbon went on one of his trips. Mai was always thankful for those reprieves.

These new books were called adult coloring books for whatever reason and Pilaf had gotten her a couple. Her favorite was a book of geometric patterns. She loved working on them even though it took quite a bit of time. It helped pass the time more than homework did and it made her think about what colors she wanted to use together.

Eventually, she heard more voices downstairs and tensed. Quickly, she hid her belongings once again and weakly opened her bedroom door. As she descended the stairs, she could already hear Frieza and Zarbon discussing business. From what it sounded, Frieza wanted to make an agreement with another corporation but apparently couldn't get an appointment. Mai shrugged it off. It wasn't any of her business and did not hold her interest.

"Ah, Mai, hello."

The girl froze at the sound of Kuriza's voice, her shoulders hunched and arms straight as sticks at her side. She did her best to swallow down her unease as she tilted her head to regard the teenager. She could see Zarbon take a glance at them over the couch and she knew exactly what he was thinking. Mai needed to play nice with Kuriza or she'd be in for it later. "Uh, hello," she greeted. "I was just coming down to get lunch ready."

"Hm, a woman that knows her place," Mai heard Frieza drawl. "How amusing."

Zarbon and Frieza entered the dining area, the former watching Mai with demanding eyes. She grew nervous inside before she shook it off. "Um, good day, Mr. Cold. How are you, sir?"

"And polite, too," the businessman snickered. "I am well, child. I won't keep you from your task."

Mai nodded, her eyes sad and troubled, but she had to keep up the guise that she wasn't truly a prisoner, that she was choosing this way. Even though Frieza and his son most likely knew of the abuse, they didn't care, but image was important in the business world. That was why her calling CPS years earlier had been bad news for her. It simply looked like a child crying out for attention, or at least Zarbon made it seem that way. He made it look like she was the one hurting herself, none of his torture weapons could be found. Somehow he had known what was coming. He used the loss of her mother as her motive for acting out, and he was believed easily. After all, he had no criminal record and he had loved her mother and never looked bad ever. During that time, Frieza gave him off work to "focus on her healing." Well, she'd been healed alright, and then she had been tortured for three days straight. That was when she had started missing school.

She rarely had ever been hurt bad enough that she needed to skip school, and even Zarbon admitted he had overdone it with her punishment. He hadn't done anything like that so badly again save the end of her last school year. Mai couldn't even remember what she had said, but it whatever it was had been full of disdain and disrespect. Zarbon had made her feel sorry for ever saying whatever it was. She begged for forgiveness, he said he had forgiven her and then left her for a couple hours in the dark basement. He returned, and she thought he would free her, but he didn't. She remembered waking up in her bed with a doctor standing over her glaring at her. Zarbon had made the man think that she had tried to kill herself. Instead of asking questions as to _why_ she would have tried to harm herself, he simply treated her and left.

All that it had accomplished was Zarbon deciding to move during the summer. When others asked, he told them that he believed Mai needed a change of scenery and hopefully she would finally be able to mourn. His brother, her mother's best friend, lived in the town, and it was even closer to work so he'd be able to spend more time with her. Since then, he never fully went off on her, just enough for her to be in pain and beg. Why he did it, Mai would never understand. What she did understand is that sometime after being treated by that doctor, he was on trial for medical malpractice and Zarbon had told her that it was his doing for the man hadn't believed his lie. He warned Zarbon that he would go to CPS with the information, but then because of Zarbon his credibility was tarnished. This was what Zarbon could do to anyone who tried to help her. He could ruin their lives.

It's why she thought she couldn't afford friends, for if Zarbon ever found out about them, he'd be suspicious. He'd threaten her with them for sure, but he would definitely ruin their lives if he had the opportunity. From what she gathered, Trunks must have had a hard enough life. If his mother was dating, that meant his father wasn't around. He never mentioned a father, so most likely he had either left his mother or had died like her own mother, yet Trunks just had this air around him. No matter what problems he may have faced in his life, he always seemed to have a positive attitude. She cringed. How well would that serve him if Zarbon got his hands on his life?

She realized she was zoning out, so she snapped out of her thoughts and hurried to get lunch on the table. Zarbon's eyes remained on her, but she didn't dare look. Instead, she sat down and took a plate of food for herself after the other three and kept her head down the whole time. A small gasp released itself earning the attention of the others at the table. She looked up and forced a smile. "I'm sorry. I just realized that I had forgotten about a homework assignment that's due this week."

Zarbon gave her a nod. "You still have time to complete it. For now, just enjoy our company."

Mai replied with an obedient nod, but her eyes flashed down to Kuriza's hand that was still gliding up her leg. He smirked knowingly, thoroughly entertained that he had elicited a reaction from the normally stoic girl. He knew he always managed to steal her breath away.

Of course, he still hadn't realized it was more out of fear than anything else.

* * *

Trunks was enjoying his time out on the water, his hair blowing slightly in the wind. He was at the front of the boat with his mother and Vegeta, the two adults watching the teenager with smiles on their faces. Vegeta held Bulma close to him as he watched the boy. He was just so happy, his eyes holding something in them, a light that Vegeta never wanted to see go out. The boy reminded him of himself when he was very young, before his mother had changed. Trunks had no risk of that happening which strangely enough relieved Vegeta.

It was bizarre that he cared so strongly for this boy that was not his own. Vegeta figured that his father had ruined any paternal instincts inside of him. He never wanted children of his own, especially not after he had lost his love. Something about this boy brought out those hidden instincts and he wondered if it was because of the feelings he had for his mother. His eyes took in the blue-haired lady's form. She looked so genuinely happy, nothing like the previous night where her concern had been clouding her mind and countenance. This outing was just what they all needed, and it felt very mundane and serene.

He felt a strange pang in his heart as if he had been brought back to life. Instead of questioning it, he allowed himself to succumb to those feelings. When he didn't question and overthink, he felt content. That was something he remembered from long ago being with _her_. He pulled Bulma to him causing her to catch herself on him. She had not been expecting his movement and laughed nervously until she felt his lips on her forehead. A small smile graced her features as he wrapped his arms around her pulling away but leaning her form against his body.

Trunks turned around to bring his mother's attention to the feeding birds but was stunned when he saw her cuddled up against Vegeta. He grinned impishly so incredibly thrilled for his mother. His mother deserved this after everything she had been through. Vegeta seemed like such a cool guy, too. He was quiet, but he was respectful. Trunks had seen a lot of different guys through the years at his school, even in public as guys hit on his mother and then fled the second he appeared from around the corner at the grocery store. Vegeta was unlike all of them. He was amazing, and Trunks had the desire to be a man like him.

Bulma stood up and excused herself to find the onboard restroom leaving the two alone. Vegeta crossed his arms over his chest before his attention shifted to Trunks. The boy blinked in confusion seeing as Vegeta seemed to be studying him. He smiled at his mother's boyfriend and took his staring as an invitation to sit at his side.

"So, how is your friend?" Vegeta asked startling Trunks. He hadn't expected the man to bring Mai up at all. It seemed like something that only his mother would want to know mainly because she was invested in him, his friends, and his emotions. Also, Vegeta never really initiated conversations with him, at least not yet, so Trunks wasn't expecting that.

"Uh, she's okay I guess," Trunks replied, though he did not sound completely convinced. "She said she was grounded last night, but I don't think I'll ever be able to get her reaction at the dance out of my head."

Vegeta nodded grimly. He could understand Trunks's concern especially after Bulma told him what was really going on. Trunks didn't yet know, but his friend's safety was a big concern. Mai clearly hadn't hid her fear with Trunks, so the boy was likely confused and nervous. He probably wouldn't be settled until he saw Mai again. Vegeta knew that feeling well. "I know these may seem like empty words," Vegeta remarked, "but don't worry so much about her. She's been fine before she met you and she's even better now that she knows you're there. No matter what, she has you, so whatever caused her reaction last night she'll be able to overcome."

Trunks smiled, shaking his head affirmatively. "Yeah, you have a point. That makes me feel a lot better. Thanks."

"Hn," Vegeta grunted. He looked out at the water for a while before he felt that sensation of being watched. His head tilted down to view Trunks catching his vibrant blue eyes. The flame-haired man released a sigh and shook his head. "Something you want?"

"Ah," Trunks responded, caught off-guard. "Well, no, not really…I mean…Just thinking."

"About?" Vegeta pressed. To have caught Trunks's attention for so long, there had to be something.

"Well…uh, this is kind of awkward," Trunks murmured, looking away blushing. "Just uh…can I ask you for some advice?"

It was Vegeta's turned to be caught off-guard. "Advice? On what?"

"On…asking a girl out," Trunks said quietly before flashing the man an embarrassed smile. "I mean as more than a friend."

Now, Vegeta could admit to himself that he normally was very composed and stoic. There wasn't much that could make him visibly react. Even when angry, content, saddened, or surprised he was able to maintain that same neutral expression. There were very few times anyone could cause him to react, though he could admit his high school girlfriend and Bulma both got it out of him only occasionally. He had been asked many things before that made him mentally react.

In this instance, Vegeta was openly gaping at the boy, his eyes widening only a fraction but enough to display his shock. "W-What?" he managed to get out.

Trunks chuckled nervously, shirking his shoulders a bit. "Well, I uh…you see, I really like Mai. You figured that out before, though."

Vegeta remembered. It was the morning he had been caught in Bulma's room, not very long ago. "You said you didn't want to scare the girl off pursuing her too quickly."

"Right," Trunks murmured with a small bow of his head. His nervous smile never left his face. "You see, at the dance something happened. We sort of almost kissed." He blushed at the memory. "I think she'd understand that I'm not after her because of the rumors. There's already a ton of rumors circulating around school that we're already sleeping together. We've all been looking out for Mai and she'd pretty much gotten over that. She knows that I like her, I'm sure. I just…I want to treat her right, better than she has been. There were a lot of creeps that came up to her at school who degrade her and…and I just want to show her that not everyone is like that."

"You already have," Vegeta pointed out earning Trunks's astounded gaze. "Anyway, as for asking her out, you asked her to the dance, didn't you? Asking her out is no different."

"It feels different," Trunks scoffed.

"Heh," Vegeta chuckled. "That's because the situation is a little different. Still, you asked her out as a friend. Simply ask her to go out and do something, even if it's something small like getting a drink or something."

Trunks smirked slightly. "I'm fifteen," he reminded the adult, "but I get it. You mean like a coffee date, right? Like what you and mom did?"

"Does everyone know about that?" Vegeta sighed.

Trunks smiled. "Well, yeah, it's a big deal," he stated. "It meant you were serious about pursuing her and didn't have an agenda. Which is perfect. Thanks Vegeta."

Vegeta blinked a few times. "You're…you're welcome?"

Trunks chuckled and kicked his feet a few times. Then he thought about something else and started pondering it serious. "Hm, but I don't want to ask mom for money to go on a date, so I guess that means I need to get a job. I don't think mom would like that, though."

"Why not?"

"Well, she always told me what my grandma always told her, that my job is to be a student first," Trunks retold. "Since I'm in school and I have sports and will be starting foreign language club. To get a job at my age, the school and the parents need to sign off on it. A job would probably spread me too thin, so she might not agree to it."

Vegeta could understand Trunks's desire to be independent. Where he was close to his mother, he needed to start making his own way. He could respect the boy, especially because he was thinking through all the pros and cons of pursuing a job. "Does the school have a say if it's an internship?"

"Huh?" Trunks questioned. "I'm not sure about that, actually. They encourage us to take internships. Actually, my guidance counselor was bitching to me the other day about it." Trunks then covered his mouth and said, "Uh, don't tell mom I said that."

"It's fine," Vegeta assured him, grinning. "Why was she giving you shit about it?"

Trunks shrugged. "I don't know. She's definitely not the best counselor. She made it really difficult for mom and Uncle Goku last week when they went to get Goten's class changed. She actually called Aunt Chi Chi and made it look like they were plotting against her or something. So annoying… Anyway, she has a problem with me and Goten. She's given Goten grief before because he doesn't have 'ambition' according to her, and with me she says I have my head in the clouds and need to start focusing on my life. So she said I should start applying for internships if I want a future."

"What do you want to do in the future?"

"I don't know yet," Trunks admitted. "I…really like the water and I love biology, so I was thinking about going into marine biology, but there's not really a lot out there jobwise. I figured I could take basic study courses and choose later."

"Whatever you feel passion for is what you should choose," Vegeta counseled. "Even if the odds are against you, you need to enjoy what you do and make your own odds."

"So you're passionate about business, huh?" Trunks asked in interest. At that, Vegeta grew quiet and Trunks frowned. "Or…maybe not?"

Vegeta sighed. "Boy, I was not as lucky as you when I was your age," he told him, his expression very serious. "My parents didn't care what I wanted. My father forced me to learn business. It was all I knew. I'm good at it, but I hate it. What I enjoy is building something out of nothing. The company I ran before inheriting my father's, that was my passion. I started with nothing, and yet managed to create that company. Hard work and determination is all it takes, no matter how shitty the odds are against you."

Trunks stared at Vegeta in awe, surprised by his speech. The man looked directly into Trunks's eyes with a fire burning inside. "You have time to figure out what you want to do, and you can take that time to find yourself as well. Your mother will always support you no matter what you choose."

The teenager nodded his agreement. "I already know that," he responded quietly. "So, I should look into applying for an internship?"

Vegeta chuckled and shook his head. "Boy, you just interviewed for one. A _paid_ internship at that. One that will work with your schedule."

"What?" Trunks gaped. "I mean…wait, no, seriously…what?"

"What's going on here?" Bulma asked, returning to the boys with snacks in hand. They both looked to her, Vegeta calm, cool, and collected, and Trunks like he had seen a ghost. "Everything okay?"

"Fine," Vegeta replied. "I just offered your son an internship at the company."

Bulma seemed amazed not having expected to hear that. "Oh? Doing what?"

"I'm in need of an assistant," Vegeta stated nonchalantly, "that is if he is interested in the job." He met his girlfriend's concerned orbs. "We'll work it around his schedule and adjust his time if his schoolwork begins to suffer."

"Well," Bulma said in a breath of relief, "when you put it that way, it sounds like a good idea. What do you think, Trunks?"

Trunks was still dazed, but he finally reacted to the words and grinned. "I…I accept, Vegeta. Thank you."

The businessman nodded in response before he took one of the snacks Bulma had brought over to them. "We can work out details later," he stated. "And Trunks…"

"Yeah?" the teenager replied as Vegeta handed him a box of M&M's.

"Don't let anyone tell you what to do and how to live your life," Vegeta ordered. "That guidance counselor of yours needs to learn her place. If she gives you grief again, stand up to her."

Bulma was confused, Trunks having not told her anything about the guidance counselor. Her son looked to her with a guilty smile. She sighed realizing they would need to have a talk much later. If that woman was giving Trunks any trouble, Bulma needed to know. Thankfully, though, Trunks had talked to Vegeta, and surprisingly Vegeta was engaging with Trunks. And now the two of them would be spending more time together, and it was all Vegeta's idea, too. How did she get so lucky to meet a guy who would put as much effort into getting to know her son as much as he was getting to know her?

She was really glad she had taken the boys to that club.

* * *

Mai returned to her room shortly after lunch as Frieza and Zarbon were discussing things she didn't care about. Unfortunately, that meant Kuriza needed to be entertained. She really didn't want to be anywhere near him, not with the way he touched her at lunch. She lied to him and said she'd be down momentarily. She had no intention of returning downstairs after she used her bathroom.

Kuriza must have known this, for he was in her room causally lying on her bed with his hands behind his head. Mai must have looked either startled or afraid, for Kuriza laughed when she looked at him. "I decided it was high time I see your room," he stated. "You always retreat here when I come to visit that I figured I'd see what was so important up here. You don't have much, do you?"

"What do you want?" Mai snapped slightly, though her voice sounded more defeated than forceful.

"Now, now, my dear," Kuriza slurred. "You know my motives. Our fathers are business partners. We've known each other since before your mother's tragic death. I've made it clear how I feel about you. It only makes sense that we get together."

"I'm not interested," Mai replied monotonously. "I already told you that. Kuriza…let's be honest. You're only interested in me because of the rumors at our school. I'm not like that. I never was."

"The rumors have seemed to follow you," Kuriza teased. "I hear that you're seeing someone right now."

Mai blanched. "W-What?"

"I could tell Zarbon, you know," Kuriza whispered, his voice holding all of his amusement. Then his eyes moved to her arms. "Though, it seems he already knows something. Just look at you." He got up from the bed and approached her backing Mai into a corner as his hand went to stroke the length of her bruised arm before taking her hand. The girl shivered in both fear and disgust. "You still look beautiful, though. These bruises only seem to highlight that."

Mai instantly felt fire as she retracted her hand and then pushed the boy away from her. She walked over to her window and crossed her arms over her body as she leaned against the wall next to it. "Don't touch me," she demanded coldly. "You will never touch me like that again. I'm not interested in being your plaything."

Kuriza frowned and began to walk over to her. He stopped when he saw her phone light up with a text message. His frown deepened as he saw a name he didn't recognize. "Who the hell is Lavender?"

Mai's heart stopped for a fraction of a second before she forced out a lie. "She's a new friend of mine. Why?"

"She's texting you," Kuriza spoke. "Read it."

"It's my business, Kuriza, so I don't have to-"

"Read it," the teenager repeated, his voice darker as if he didn't trust her words.

Mai sighed and then moved to pick up her phone. **Hey, guess what. I just got offered an internship at the company where my mom's working.**

"She just told me she got an internship, that's all," Mai replied holding her phone out for Kuriza to see mentally thanking God that Trunks hadn't sent anything too personal, something very generic that she could hide.

"Impressive," Kuriza murmured, his voice even and angry. "Mai, you can't run away from this. You can try, but I will never stop pursuing you. One day you'll give in, because I'm the only one that can get you out of here. You have no one else, so if you want to be free of the violence, you'll need to stop running away from me. Though, it would be a shame. Black and blue are excellent colors on you."

Mai grew angry again as Kuriza left her room, her eyes narrowed and cheeks red. She couldn't believe he had had the audacity to say something so disgustingly cruel, but honestly she wasn't surprised. He was the son of Frieza Cold, after all.

For the first time, though, Mai felt like he was wrong. Before when he had said stuff like that, about her freedom with him, she had had no one, but now she didn't feel that way. It gave her the strength to stand up to him, just thinking about Trunks and how close they had gotten in such a short time. She truly liked the boy, and he made it a point to let her know he'd be there for her. Once she was eighteen, she'd be free. She didn't know what she'd do, but Zarbon couldn't legally keep her. She would be an adult. Even if she had no money for college or anything, she would find a way to have a better life. She just needed to hold out for three more years, actually two if she remembered that her birthday was during the spring. She had about a half a year until she was sixteen, but it just made her think about how happy she'd be the spring of senior year. She could make it that long. She had to make it.

With that determination, she got started on her homework. If she was going to make it on her own, she needed to start taking school more seriously. She couldn't get by on B's and C's. That wouldn't help her get scholarships when the time came. Her freshman year hadn't been so good grade-wise, but considering her "mental breakdown" over her mother's death a few years prior she could easily defend it. It was the beginning of the new school year, so she had time to turn everything around. She could do it. She could-

"What did you say that pissed Kuriza off so much?"

She froze.

Slowly, Mai turned around to look at her captor. He looked highly irritated, his arms crossed. That was never a good sign. "Nothing," she lied.

"That isn't what he told me," Zarbon remarked, his voice growing dark with rage. "Instead, he pulled me aside and told me that you've been ignoring his proposition for a date. He told me that you've been seeing someone at your school instead."

"He's a liar," Mai murmured. "I'm not seeing anyone. Those were just rumors some girls started at school. As for his proposition for a date, I'm not interested. I've politely turned him down multiple times. I'm not interested in anyone. I promise."

Zarbon didn't seem convinced, but he let it go. Still, it bothered him that Kuriza told him that Mai pushed him and had fight to her voice. If Kuriza told Frieza what had happened, Zarbon's job could be in jeopardy. He watched as Mai grew nervous and turned away to get back to doing her schoolwork. He smirked. If she thought she could get away with her behavior, she was sorely mistaken.

Maybe he needed to make an example of her once again. This time, one that would cause her to miss school. She needed discipline, and apparently she wasn't getting it at her school.

As her parent, he needed to take care of it.

* * *

Trunks grew increasingly worried later that night. Mai hadn't responded to either of his messages and he was getting a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. He thought about calling her but felt anxiety as he picked up the phone. He didn't want to make it worse between her and her stepfather, so he buried down his desire.

It was midnight by the time his phone rang jostling him out of a very troubled half-sleep. Trunks had been so exhausted having stayed up so late the night before which had prompted him to lay down, but he hadn't realized that he was starting to drift.

He picked up his phone and saw a message from Mai and instantly sat up wiping the sleep from his eyes to read it. **Hey,** it read. **Sorry I didn't get back to you all day. We had company over.**

 **That sounds nice,** Trunks replied, not knowing the full extent of the situation.

 **Not really,** she admitted. **I don't like my stepfather's boss or his son. They really freak me out.**

 **How so?** Trunks questioned, feeling that same sense of dread.

 **It's nothing. I really don't want to think about it right now.**

Trunks nodded and changed the subject. **Sure. Hey, so what do you think about the internship offer? I was talking to Vegeta and he said he needed an assistant. I was telling him about what Ms. Snake said to me the other day. He said he'd work with my schedule.**

 **I think that sounds really cool,** Mai answered. **Congrats.**

 **Thank you!** Trunks said, feeling excited again. **I can't wait to see you all at school Monday. We need to celebrate.**

 **Uh, yeah, about that…Trunks, I'm not really feeling that well, so I may not be in school for a few days. I didn't want you to worry.**

 **I'm sorry,** Trunks sent back with a frowny face. **Is it a cold?**

A few moments passed, but Mai replied. **Yes, it's a cold. A really bad one.**

 **Is it because I let you walk home the other day?** He really hoped it wasn't or he'd feel really guilty.

 **No,** she assured him. **I just haven't been getting a lot of sleep.** Mai immediately realized her mistake.

* * *

 **But you slept well when you were here…**

Mai mentally cursed herself for not being able to think of anything better. **I did, but I haven't really been sleeping for weeks. Nightmares and all that.** It wasn't a full lie. Mai always had nightmares, and she still had that one about her mother when she and Trunks had fallen asleep together on the couch. She really wished she was back over there. It had been nice to be around a real family for a change, to be treated as part of a family.

 **Wanna talk about them?**

She couldn't help the smile that graced her features before her eyes teared up. Why was Trunks so wonderful to her? She had done nothing to deserve it, and yet here this boy was trying to get to know her, to help her even though he didn't know her or her story. Mai wasn't stupid. She knew Trunks liked her, but she still had no idea why. Thankfully, he wasn't like Kuriza or those other guys, after her body and nothing else. He genuinely cared about her. She thought about their almost kiss at the dance and how sweet he had been after they had been brought back to reality. He treated her like no other person had, and his mother treated her like her mother had. There were no strings attached with her, and she had kept her promise not to say anything to Trunks or else he would be asking different kinds of questions right about now.

 **Not really,** she replied.

 **Mai, I won't force you to open up to me, but you really should talk to someone,** was the reply that came back, and it wasn't over. Mai felt her heart speed up crashing against her chest as she read the rest of his words. **It's hard dealing with stuff like this on your own and I don't want it to be too much for you. I care about you and I want you to be okay. I would love it if you decided to confide in me, but I understand if you aren't ready for that. But please, talk to someone. I'm worried about you.**

"I'm worried about you" repeated in her head a few more times making her mind reel and her heart skip beats. She lied down on the bed, hand pushing her bangs out of the way. She didn't know what to say to Trunks. She couldn't reassure him like she so desperately wanted to do. He was an amazing guy, very sweet with a lot going for him in his life. He shouldn't be worrying over the likes of her. In the grand scheme of things, she was nothing. All she was, at the moment, was a prisoner.

 **Thank you,** she eventually wrote back, sidestepping everything he said, but letting him know she was truly thankful for him saying it. **Have a good night.**

Mai started to get ready for bed, but she could hardly move. Her body was so sore, and she was sure she had a couple broken ribs. Zarbon had really let her have it that night. Even the skin on her back was torn. When the hell had he gotten a whip? Thankfully, he had only struck her once with that to prove a point. If he had hit her more, Mai probably wouldn't be able to walk.

She had decided to take a shower to clean the wound. She could reach behind her with soap, but at least rinsing under hot water would help slightly and clean the blood. The water stung, making Mai hiss as tears fell. She was still trying to figure out what had set Zarbon off to do something like this. It would be her first time missing school here, so maybe he thought it wouldn't draw a red flag. Whatever it was, Mai didn't care. She just needed to treat herself to the best of her abilities and pray that Zarbon would leave her alone for a few days so that the bruises and cuts on her face would fade and heal. She couldn't hide those as well as the ones that littered her arms and torso.

Walking slowly over to her dresser, she picked out a dark pair of pajamas in case the bleeding on her back became heavy again. She went over to her bed and looked at her phone to see the time. Trunks had sent her one last message.

 **Goodnight, beautiful.**

She blushed profusely at that. He kept calling her beautiful, but it didn't make her feel uncomfortable or dirty the way other guys in the past had said it or the disgusting way Kuriza had said it that day. In fact, it made her feel like she had some worth. Everything Trunks said and did made her feel that way.

Before she set her phone down, she deleted all the messages so that if Zarbon wanted to check her phone there would be nothing there. The phone had been a gift from Pilaf which Zarbon had not been pleased about. His brother had said that she was a teenager and would need a way to communicate with either of them when Zarbon was out of town. In exchange for the phone and not being able to see what Mai was doing with it, Zarbon demanded that Pilaf not give her his number. He didn't want her contacting his brother when he was away.

That's what gave Mai her nickname idea. Parents were always naming their kids weird things at her old school. There was a girl she spoke to nicknamed Rice, but she never got her number. She still talked about her if Zarbon ever did ask about who she was talking to in school. In her phone, Pilaf's name was rice, just like Trunks's name was Lavender. If Kuriza reported back to Zarbon like he had about Rice when they were in school, which she was sure he did, Zarbon would think Lavender was some girl she had befriended.

She was starting to feel drained which prompted her to close her eyes. That night, she had a dream, but it definitely wasn't a nightmare. She dreamt about her and Trunks dancing, him singing in her ear, only in this dream world, they had shared a kiss. Mai didn't know it, but she smiled in her sleep.


	14. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Well, this is the first time I'm going to do this. Let's see if I can keep it up, but I've been on a writing spree with this fic, nearly done with Chapter 20…yes, 20. So, this Friday I'm going to do a chapter double feature to this story, so I hope you all enjoy. Chapter 14 is soon to follow. :)

* * *

Monday came around quickly, and true to Mai's word she was absent from class. Trunks had really been hoping that a day of rest would help her. He even suggested she take vitamin C pills, 5000 mg, and use some zinc cough drops within the first forty-eight hours. His grandmother always told him and his mom to do that when they felt the oncoming cold. It would shorten the length of the cold and ease the symptoms. Mai had thanked him for the input, but it must not have helped. Trunks hoped she'd get better soon.

Unbeknownst to the boy, his mother had taken the day off, Vegeta allowing her to work from home. She had called Juu and asked her to meet her for lunch. Juu thought nothing of it and agreed. The two women met up where Krillin worked for lunch, just like she and Goku had the previous week. "So, how have you been?" Juu casually asked.

Bulma smiled. "I've been well. I'm sorry I called you so soon after you guys got back from vacation."

Juu shrugged. "It's fine. Marron's really excited to be back in school. She doesn't like missing time."

"I forget where she goes again," Bulma replied.

"Enterprise High," Juu scoffed. "I'm looking into transferring her to the school where yours and Goku's boys go. That place is full of kids belonging to some high-strung businessmen. Marron hasn't been happy since a friend of hers left. Rumors of abuse at home going around. Her stepfather taking her out didn't help alleviate Marron's concern."

Bulma frowned, especially from being reminded as to why she came out to see Juu in the first place. "Speaking of, I have a couple questions about abuse cases."

Surprised, Juu asked, "What for?"

"It's…" Bulma spoke cautiously, and Juu immediately picked up on it. "It's just a hypothetical case type thing."

Juu seemed to be calculating something before she nodded. "Go on."

"Well…hypothetically, if someone suspected a person being abused but that person is wary of CPS because the abuser is able to hide who he is during interviews and investigations, what else can be done for the child?"

"That's difficult to say," Juu stated. "No system is perfect, but usually the abuser slips up eventually. Repeated injury is a clear indicator of possible abuse and worth being investigated. If this hypothetical child has had dealings with CPS before, then it's possible that, as you said, the abuser was able to appear like the perfect caregiver and explain away the injuries. But there's already a red flag drawn over them. The next thing to watch out for is multiple absences from school or work. Depending on the type of abuser, they don't want it to be obvious, but the body can only take so much abuse, so multiple or lengthy absences could indicate a severe beating."

Bulma cringed as she thought about it. "What about if they child confesses, but begs someone not to do anything about it. What can a person do then?"

"Be there for the child," Juu stated, "if you can be, that is. Eventually, something will have to give. I would suggest getting the process started, at least interviewing the child or getting them into therapy."

"How can they get out of that situation?"

"Well, I basically stated telling you. It's a difficult and long process for someone who feels like there is no hope, but talking to a friend or family member about it and a counselor can give the child insight on what to do. There are hotlines that help teenagers create escape plans to get away from an abusive household. If they truly want to escape the situation, they can find a safe place to stay, such as a friend's house. It's not illegal for someone to take in a teenager they believe is in danger, but if the police call and ask about the whereabouts, a person can't lie or they could be charged with either kidnapping or aiding delinquency of a minor. There's also the shelter which is always ready to take in people."

"This person, hypothetically, would have a place to go," Bulma stated. "What can be done for the child?"

"Bulma, be honest," Juu stated. "I've known you for years and you're a terrible liar. This isn't hypothetical, is it?"

The woman sighed and shook her head. "Trunks's friend," she stated. "He doesn't know yet, but I figured it out. Her stepfather left her home alone for the week and she stayed with us. She was so scared when I confronted her, Juu. She's so worried that this man has so much power. She said that she and her stepfather's brother have tried to get her away from him, but it never works and she only gets hurt more. She said her stepfather can't know she has friends. I convinced her to call if she needs anything, but she said if I said anything to anyone she'd alienate herself from us."

"That is a problem," Juu droned. "Now, this is all off the record, obviously, but in my opinion try to include her in as much as possible. If she can't get away from her stepfather now, she'll be able to eventually. When he's gone, she can take steps to run away, but as a minor he will still have the right to send someone for her, and if he lies to keep custody and makes it look like she's the problem, it may still be a challenge. That's what happened to the girl at Marron's school."

"That's terrible," Bulma breathed out. "I just had a thought. My boyfriend Vegeta filed for emancipation when he was a teenager. Would this girl be able to do something like that?"

"If she's sixteen or older, but younger…I don't think they'd do that, and to be emancipated, she'd need a few things," Juu explained. "A place to go, definitely, and normal every day skills like the ability to care for herself, cook, do laundry, and stuff like that. She'll need to have a job and her own income and be in charge of her own finances and living apart from the parent, or the court can find it in her best interest. She would then have to file a petition for emancipation and then a judge would meet with her and her stepfather separately."

"Hm…and there's no way to get around him," Bulma pondered shaking her head. "Damn. That's not really fair, is it?"

Juu shook her head. "We do our best with the laws at our disposal, but what it comes down to is that we can't just take a child from their parents. Parents have rights, too, but there's definitely still hope of her getting free. All you can do for now is be there for her, and when she's ready she'll have her options in front of her and be safe."

"And…what if something really bad happens?"

The blonde's expression darkened. "If that's the case, I'll submit a report myself and handle the case myself with you and most likely Trunks as witnesses. If I handle it, even if that stepfather of hers tries to make it look like it's her fault, I would already be aware of his deceit. I'd like to start an investigation immediately, but I don't want to alienate that girl further from you. She needs a support group."

"Okay," Bulma sighed. "Not exactly what I was hoping for, but it's at least something. I just don't want anything to happen to her. She's a sweet girl and Trunks is crazy about her."

"It'll work out," Juu replied, holding her head up with her hand as she held up the bottle of soy sauce in front of her face.

Bulma was thankful that the normally stoic and cynical woman she had ever met had said something positive. It meant that she had faith in the situation, though Bulma was certain things would get worse before they got better. She was just a little fearful over how worse it could get. Well, she would continue to hope and pray and be there for the girl. Mai deserved so much better than what she had been dealing with.

"Well, now that that's settled," Juu stated, her voice full of surprising mirth, "why am I just hearing about this boyfriend now? Spill."

Bulma chuckled at Juu's interrogation and began telling her a little about Vegeta and the time they had spent together so far. Of course, Goku knew more and would always know the most. She didn't really feel like telling Juu that she had let Vegeta spend the night with her, even if nothing had really happened. No, she could only trust her best friend and her mother with that fact.

* * *

Trunks was not happy. It had been almost a week since Mai had been in school. He texted with her daily, mostly in the middle of the night which was disconcerting enough. Trunks had even offered to forgo a day of texting so she could get some rest and get better. She had denied that offer saying something that tore into Trunks's heart, that talking with him made her feel better and she refused to give that up. Her words felt so real. Trunks could almost feel the emotion behind them. Still, she clearly wasn't getting any better if she wasn't in school yet. She had even missed the first language club meeting, and she had been so excited about it, too.

"Trunks, would you mind staying after class?"

The lavender-haired teen was broken out of his thoughts, his math teacher's voice reaching his ears. Some of the other students snickered, but Goten just looked concerned. "Sure?" he replied skeptically.

Surprisingly, the teacher just smiled and didn't press any further, and that was definitely unusual. "Anyway, class, it's that time of the year where I'm planning on assigning my group packet project. I'll have two people working on the packet and it will be due in a couple of weeks. Unlike my other years, though, I'll be assigning partners. You'll have to work together to complete the work. There's a lot of it."

Most of the class groaned at the claim, but simply waited to be assigned. Goten was slightly dismayed when he was paired with that girl, Paigen. He really didn't want to work with the rumor queen, but she seemed pretty pleased about the outcome. Goten would have to set her straight right at the beginning. He really didn't need her figuring out about his anxiety condition. He just needed to survive the couple of weeks.

Trunks, though, was surprised when the teacher dismissed the class early without assigning him his partner, but then he realized she hadn't called Mai's name either. The teacher came over to him regarding him with a warm smile. She usually treated him like a troublemaker, so it was weirding him out. "Trunks?"

"Yes?" the teenager pressed, slightly on edge. What was his teacher's deal?

"I noticed that Mai has been absent for nearly a week," she explained. "Many of her teachers have been trying to get her work together, but none of them knew anyone who could bring it to her. The guidance office attempted to call her stepfather, but he hasn't returned calls as to when he would pick up her assignments. I've seen the two of you talking many times, and because of that I figured you'd be the best option to getting her work to her. Since she's missed the majority of the week, I decided to pair you two together as well. You can help her learn the material."

"Uh, yeah, I can do that," Trunks stated, "but I don't know where she lives."

"Don't worry," the teacher stated. "In cases like this, the guidance office sometimes makes exceptions about giving out someone's address."

"Really," Trunks deadpanned hoping that his school's bizarre policy wouldn't affect him in any way in the future. He wondered what would happen if someone told the school board about the distribution of addresses. Still, it worked in his benefit this time. He needed to make sure Mai was okay. "I'll get her work to her," he stated.

"Her other teachers already have her assignments together," the woman explained. "And thank you for being so helpful."

Trunks's brow quirked in astonishment, surprised that the woman was treating him so differently. He wondered why that was, but decided not to question it since he needed to go to Mai's other classes and gather her missed work. What he didn't know was that the teacher had been monitoring the rumor situation from the week. She had seen Mai so upset many times, and yet Trunks and those he hung out with all had stepped up to defend and support her. Trunks and Goten always seemed like troublemakers constantly talking in class even when they were supposed to be working silently, but even that made sense now. The guidance counselor had spoken with the Sons recently and the parents learned that the teachers actually hadn't been informed about Goten's condition. When she was told, she realized that Trunks was only trying to help his friend when he was struggling. Her opinion of the boys instantly changed.

The teenager started meandering around the school picking up the assignments, thankful that his teacher had dismissed class early for him to do so. During his trek, he found Goten glaring at Paigen and frowned. It looked like Goten was fighting with himself to hold his rage back. He needed to run interference. "Hey, what's going on here?"

"Oh, nothing much," Paigen said slyly. "Your friend and I were just coming to an agreement about how to do the work."

"You're a bitch," Goten hissed, seething. "Just get the hell away from me. I'll meet you at the damn coffee shop later."

Paigen only laughed light-heartedly. "Sounds like a plan. Just, leave the attitude here, or your _girlfriend_ will regret it."

The two boys watched her leave, Trunks getting an idea of what happened. "The hell just happened?" he asked his friend.

But Goten didn't hear him, still enraged. He punched the wall near the locker making Trunks jump slightly. "Damn it, I hate her," he growled before looking to his friend. "Uh, sorry…"

"No problem, bro," Trunks assured him placing a hand on his shoulder. "What did she say?"

The palm tree-haired teen sighed and pressed his head against the wall. "I didn't want to work with her, so I tried to arrange for us not to spend time together during the assignment," he started. "I don't need her finding out about my stress and anxiety. The rumors she'd spread about that would be fucking unbearable. So, I told her we'd divide the work evenly and that I'd take half the packet and work on it by myself. I figured if I had questions, I could just ask you, but she didn't take kindly to that suggestion. She said she wanted me to be an active participant in the project even if that meant going on a study date with her. I rejected that idea immediately. Then she said that if I didn't agree to go out with her, at least for the course of the project, she'd start spreading rumors about Valese. Her parents are going through a separation right now, and Paigen heard her confiding in me about it. She said she'd tell the whole school if I didn't agree."

"Goten, talk to Valese," Trunks suggested. "Tell her what happened. She knows how Paigen is, and I doubt she'd care if it meant you not having to deal with her."

"Trunks, I can't let Valese be stressed out more," Goten stated. "I…I don't want that for her. I'm just pissed that Paigen is using her to get me to agree to this. I mean, it's just for a couple weeks. I'll survive it, but I just don't trust that bitch. What if she decides to do it anyway?"

"Again, Goten, talk to Valese," Trunks mandated again. "She cares about you, and she'd want you to come to her with this. The two of you can figure it out together."

"Yeah, sure," Goten scoffed before Trunks eyes narrowed at him. "What?" he sighed.

"Goten…you're still taking your medication, right?" The teenager flinched before looking away. "You can't do that," Trunks reminded him. "You know your moods and anxiety go out of control when you're off of it."

"Trunks, it wasn't helping," Goten complained. "I was just feeling worse."

"That's when you're supposed to tell your dad and psychiatrist," Trunks retorted. "He warned you this could happen. Both he and mom told us that there was a time when your dad was so depressed and the same thing happened. Mom told him to talk to his mother and psychiatrist and they found him a different medication that worked so much better and then he felt great."

"Yeah, I know, but I'm not my dad," Goten replied. "What if I'm so messed up that no medicine works, huh?"

Trunks was getting worried by what his friend was saying, but he understood that he was very negative right now. "You won't know unless you try, and you really need to try, Goten. I love you, man, but you need to talk to your parents about this and make an appointment like today. You have to promise me, Goten. If you don't, I'm going to have to say something."

"Yeah, I know," Goten heaved with a slight chuckle. "And thanks, I needed to hear that, bro. If you were dealing with this, I'd say the same thing."

"I know you would," Trunks responded, smiling. "So, you promise you'll talk to them?"

Goten huffed. "I promise. I'll keep you posted on it, too."

"You better," Trunks warned, "or I'm going to harass you with phone calls and texts, and if you dodged them, I'd call the house, too."

"I don't doubt it," Goten murmured sheepishly, his earlier ire gone. Then he sighed again. "I guess I should definitely talk to Valese, at least to warn her that Paigen knows about her parents."

"Jeez, that's gotta be tough," Trunks empathized. "I know that mom had trouble when Gramma divorced her stepfather. No matter what, separation and divorce is always tough."

"Yeah," Goten agreed, feeling immense guilt at the reminder of why Trunks's grandmother had gotten divorced in the first place. "I'm such an idiot. I shouldn't have stopped the medication."

"Goten, it's okay," Trunks reassured him. "You're nothing like that guy. He was manic depressive and stopped his meds just because he didn't _want_ to take them. It wasn't because they stopped working that he stopped. He just didn't want to. Besides, you're issues are a little different and you manage them really well. Don't ever give it a second thought."

"Well, alright then," Goten sighed. At that moment, the bell rang. "I guess we should head to class, now."

Trunks nodded and grinned. "I'll see you and Valese at lunch, okay?"

"Yeah, later," Goten agreed waving Trunks off. Strangely enough, he felt better, though he knew talking to Trunks would help. Still, he had been so afraid that his friend would be angry with him if he found out about the medicine. He knew Trunks and knew that he wasn't like that, but his mind would always picture the worst case scenario, even if it would never happen. It was like what happened with his mother about his grades. That had ended up working out so much better than he expected.

He really needed to stop thinking that the world was going to crumble underneath him.

* * *

Mai couldn't believe how long it was taking the bruises to fade. She had already missed four days of school and the first foreign language club meeting. Her only bright side each day was that Trunks had texted with her even though it was the middle of the night. Talking with him made her feel happy, and that was something she didn't feel often. She had already come to terms with the fact that she felt more than friendship for her friend, and she knew he liked her as well. She didn't want to bring him down with her life, though, so just having his presence was enough for her.

A knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts. She had been sitting in the kitchen since Zarbon had called her downstairs. It was his day off and for some reason he wanted her downstairs with him. He had had a couple of drinks which was very unlike him. She could only assume that today had something to do with her mother. And then she remembered the date. It was the anniversary of her death.

"Tell them whatever they're selling, we ain't buying," Zarbon slurred talking in an uncouth manner Mai rarely ever heard.

Mai got up to answer the door, but she really wished she hadn't when she saw her lavender-haired friend standing on the other side. He had a smile on his face until he took notice of her full form, no doubt seeing the bruises littering her arms and face. Trunks was stunned, his mouth dropped open and eyes narrowed. Mai just stared back like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Mai, I don't hear you sending them away."

Both teenagers flinched when they heard Zarbon's voice, though Mai shivered and closed her eyes. They heard footsteps approaching them before the man came into sight. He glared down at Trunks taking notice of his lavender hair, sneering. "Who are you?"

Mai tensed again and looked to Trunks with pleading eyes. The boy put two and two together, and now all of Mai's behavior made sense. He looked up at the tall, pale man, his green hair pulled into a crisp ponytail. He was what others would consider a pretty boy and didn't look very strong, and yet he clearly had hurt his friend. However, he couldn't say or do anything without details and while Mai was standing in between them, so he got control of his emotions. His lips pressed into a firm line before he took a deep breath and forced a smile.

"Good afternoon, sir," he forced out. "I'm one of Mai's classmates. Her teachers sent me here with the work she's missed." Trunks then looked over to a fearful Mai. "Our math teacher paired us together for a project. I have that work, too."

She sucked in a nervous, shaky breath before looking to Zarbon who seemed more neutral than when he had first seen Trunks. "Whatever," he scoffed making the boy frown as he walked away.

"Um," Mai murmured nervously stealing back her friend's attention. "Thank you. We can got into the dining room to work on the project, okay?"

"Yeah," Trunks responded. "Sounds like a plan."

The two teenagers sat down and Mai could see Zarbon sitting on a position on the couch that allowed him to peak up over at them. She knew he'd be watching them the entire time. He was clearly displeased with Trunks's arrival to the house, though to be fair she wasn't thrilled either. She couldn't believe he had come to bring her homework. It was normally against a school's policy to give out personal and private information such as an address. Mai had no idea why they made an exception, but maybe it was because she and Trunks were nearly inseparable during school hours. It was the only time she had away from Zarbon unless he was working or on a trip, and the only time she could be with Trunks. She took advantage of that, and now she was terrified that she had screwed her friend over massively. Zarbon would never let this go.

Trunks got out his notebook and the math packet. "Okay, so let's divide this. I guess I'll take the odds and you can take the evens? We can work out the problems in out notebooks and submit our scratch paper with the packet. It's based on the stuff we've been learning this week. I have extra paper, so you can take my notebook and use my notes as a guide. You can keep the notebook and copy them later so you can do the regular classwork."

"Alright," Mai replied catching Zarbon's eye over the couch. She forced her body not to react to his gaze or her fear. In that moment, Trunks shifted his notebook to her on a page where he had just written something.

 _You aren't sick…_

Mai's eyes widened and then looked up to Trunks. His eyes were angry, but his voice was light. "Yeah, I know it looks complicated, but it's actually pretty easy once you get the hang of it." She immediately caught on to what he was trying to do. They were not going to be doing work, but he was definitely going to make it look like it in front of her stepfather.

She sighed and then looked to the packet pretending to take down a problem in her own book. Glancing back into Trunks's book a couple times to keep up appearances, she wrote down a message and made it look like she had taken the time to work through the problem. "Do you mind checking this to make sure I got it right?"

"Sure," Trunks chirped, but he still looked serious.

 _You can't say anything. I'll be in for it worse if he thinks someone else knows. Your mom figured it out, but I told her if she told anyone I'd stop contacting either of you. I mean it, Trunks. Say nothing._

Trunks's expression grew grim as he read the words. He couldn't believe Mai threatened to isolate herself if his mother tried to help. "Eh, there's a couple problems here," he told her. "Let me show you how to do it, okay?"

Mai nodded and moved over closer to Trunks. He was writing with his right hand, but his left hand was shielded from view as he placed his on hers that was resting on her leg. She looked up at him for a moment, tensing, but relaxed as she saw his determined eyes. "See, here's where you made the mistake," he stated. _I understand, but you don't have to do this alone._ "And if this is different, then down here changes too." _We have to talk about this at some point._ "Got it?"

Her eyes wavered, but she nodded. "Yeah, I think so. I'll try again on the next one."

She did the writing work again and then showed him again. "How's this?"

Trunks looked over the page, his mouth nearly dropping open. _I don't want to involve you. I can't let you get hurt. I wouldn't be able to handle it. Please…just walk away. Now that you've seen me and he's seen you, I can't protect you anymore. You don't need me._

His startled eyes flashed over to her saddened orbs and he shook his head. "You're getting closer. This problem was a lot harder, though. There's a couple of different ways to manage this stuff. I'll show you the alternate method."

 _I'm not going to do that, Mai,_ Trunks wrote. _You mean a lot to me. I don't need protection. He can't do anything to me. I'm more worried about you. You shouldn't stay here._

Mai pretended she was getting the hang of it and took over. _Oh yeah, and where can I go where he wouldn't be able to pull me back._

Trunks forced a smile and nodded and wrote a few more things down. _You could stay with us._ "Yeah, that's right. See, you're getting it."

Mai nodded and took the book back to try the next problem again herself. When she was finished, she asked Trunks to review it again. _He would come after me, and you guys by association. I can't put that on your family. There's no escape. He'll never let me leave._

Trunks took the book and then decided to "work out the problem himself" on a piece of paper. He imitated a grin. "Yup, that's the right answer." _How often does he go away?_

As soon as Trunks asked the question, Zarbon's phone rang and her stepfather got up to answer it. "Yeah?" The man scowled. "Son of a bitch, Dodoria. You can't keep fucking up deals."

Mai was surprised to hear Zarbon talk like that, but she remembered he'd been drinking. "It's my day off. I can't come in. Driving isn't an option right now." There was some more silence before an angered sigh. "Fine, give me an hour. You're paying for the cab."

Zarbon slammed the phone down and then came to the kitchen entryway. His eyes landed on Trunks. "You're leaving. You can work on the stupid assignment another day." Then he looked to Mai. "See him off."

"I will," Mai assured him. She closed Trunks's notebook and put it with her assignments as Trunks's put the packet and papers back in his backpack. He stood up and let Mai lead him to the door.

He took one last look at her before saying, "If you want, we could meet up after school tomorrow somewhere. You could even come to my place if you want."

Mai looked over to a disgruntled Zarbon. "Do whatever you want," he grunted.

She looked back over to Trunks. "Okay," she replied. "See you tomorrow, then."

Trunks left, but what Mai didn't know was that he only went around the side of the house and crouched down. He was not leaving Mai alone to deal with Zarbon. Of course, he knew he'd be staying there for an hour. What he didn't expect was to hear Mai's screams at one point before she started crying. He realized that Zarbon had left the windows open. The man then walked out as a cab showed up. Trunks did his best to remain hidden until the car was far away. He crawled out of his space not seeing the cab anywhere before he went back up to the house. He turned the knob of the door surprised that it was unlocked. He was not prepared to see what he had.

* * *

Mai knew Zarbon was angry about Trunks, and when her friend exited the house, Zarbon started. "So, that's 'Lavender,' huh? And Kuriza was so sure he was a girl." His voice was low, quiet, and dangerous.

Mai panicked. "Uh, I just didn't want Kuriza to get the wrong idea. The guy is just a classmate. The teacher pairs us up a lot, but I knew if I told Kuriza that he was a guy, he'd get angry and make assumptions."

"Liar," Zarbon hissed before chuckling. "You can't lie to me, Mai. I saw your eyes. That boy is your friend. Haven't we talked about making friends before? I own you, and maybe you need another reminder."

"B-But," Mai stammered. "I can't miss anymore school. I mean, the teachers already sent work home. I can't miss anymore."

"You're right," Zarbon stated, "but you can use makeup to cover up the faded bruises on your face. I know what to do."

"Please, don't," Mai begged. "I…I can't keep doing this."

Zarbon chuckled. "You don't have a choice."

Mai wasn't expecting Zarbon to move at such speed while he was drunk, but he managed to get ahold of her and dragged her by the neckline of her shirt. She tried to struggle and get away, but it only made his toss her across the walkway into the staircase. The wind was knocked out of her, her ribcage aching as she felt the wound on her back open up. Her eyes widened as warm liquid ran down her body. Her pleading eyes stopped Zarbon for a moment, his breath hitching before he remembered that Mai was not his beloved. His eyes narrowed as he lifted her off the ground again. She cried out in pain as he threw her into the living room before he went to get the rod.

Before he could hit her with it, his phone went off again and he saw that Dodoria was once again calling. He cursed under his breath before he through the metal pole down in front of the sobbing girl. The man rolled his eyes and turned to leave. He paused in the doorway. "You got off lucky. Don't ever fucking lie to me again."

Mai nodded, still crying though she felt immense relief. The door shut, but she couldn't get herself under control. When she heard the door open again, she tensed and cried harder. She was surprised that Zarbon decided to come back. "Holy shit," she heard a familiar voice, that was not Zarbon, muster out. It was Trunks?

Trunks couldn't believe what he was seeing. Once he had entered, he followed the sound of Mai's heavy sobs and saw her crumpled into a ball on the floor. He could see red seeping through her shirt, his eyes widened in fear. "Oh my God," he breathed out before he moved to where she was and got down to the floor. Instantly, Mai latched onto him holding him as if her life depended on it. Given the heavy bleeding, it was very possible. He wrapped his arms around her ignoring the sticky liquid pouring onto his hands. "Mai…"

"Trunks," she sniffled out before she buried himself against his chest. "I…I…"

"Sh," he cooed moving her hair from her wet and red face. "Mai, we need to get you to a hospital. You're bleeding."

"No," she refused. "I can't go anywhere. Trunks…he'll know. He always knows. I can't escape."

"What do you mean?"

Mai hesitated in telling him, but she realized that he already knew what was happening. "I…I called Child Protective Services when I was younger and tried again before the summer," she confessed. "But he got out of it. He always makes it looks like I'm this grieving, masochistic, suicidal child that he took in out of the goodness of his heart. Whenever someone questions it, their lives get ruined. They lose their jobs or practices, or something happens to their family. I can't…I can't go. He knows you now. He'll destroy you. I won't survive if he does."

"Mai, listen," Trunks said, his voice soft and comforting. "I didn't witness what happened today but it was pretty darn close to having proof. I heard you scream and cry and watched him leave. You're bleeding. If you did this to yourself he wouldn't have fucking left you. And I don't care. Let him come after me. I can handle it."

"No you can't," Mai growled more forcefully. "No one can. He's powerful. Too powerful. I…ah!"

Mai felt so much pain as she shifted to sit up, and Trunks was there to steady her. "Easy," he chided. "If you won't go to a hospital, you at least need to let me get you cleaned up. I can treat your wound, okay? You need to tell me where you keep all your first aid supplies."

The teenager nodded, her black hair falling into her face. "U-Upstairs, second door on the right. There's a bathroom in there. Under the sink is where I keep everything."

"Got it," Trunks replied, his voice still soft. "I…don't want to move you."

"I'll be fine here," she assured him.

Trunks wasn't convinced, but he released her and rushed up the stairs. He went to where her room was and noticed how sparse it seemed. His expression went from concerned to solemn to completely enraged. How dare that bastard lay a hand on his stepdaughter? Who did he think he was that he thought he could touch her? Trunks swallowed down his anger and raced to get the first aid kit. He noticed that the majority of the materials were gone, but looking to the garbage he realized that Mai had been using the kit to treat herself all on her own.

He didn't allow himself to think about it. He was so disgusted by the whole ordeal. Mai was such an amazing and beautiful girl. She didn't deserve this life, this fear. Now he knew why she so desperately clung to him when her stepfather texted her. Had she been afraid he'd kill her?

Back in the living room, Mai was quivering and looked pretty pale. He needed to work quickly. His primary concern was cleaning the wound and stopping the bleeding. It didn't even bother him that he needed to remove her shirt, although he did blush slightly when she nervously and weakly raised her arms and they both realized she needed to remove her bra.

"Uh…" Trunks muttered, looking away and closing her eyes. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable…so…"

"It's okay," Mai replied. "I can do it." She removed the bloodstained fabric and tossed it aside before turning around to display her back to him. "You…you can open your eyes now."

Trunks did but he nearly choked when he saw the giant gash on her back. It looked like the wound had been healing, but had reopened. "What the fuck did he do to you?" Trunks growled.

"This…this was from that night, well the night after," she admitted. "He was so angry, Trunks, but even the dance didn't do this. His boss and his son came over the other day and well, Kuriza has been pursuing me for years, but he's a disgusting and vile human being like his father and Zarbon. He told Zarbon he thought I was seeing someone and denying his advances and when I told Zarbon I wasn't he didn't believe me. I thought telling him Kuriza lied would get me out of it, but later he dragged me to the basement and he…he…" She shook her head as she thought about it.

Trunks felt his chest constrict at the thought of Mai being struck. "What did he do?"

Mai just withdrew inside herself holding her arms to her body as if that would keep her safe. Trunks could see her tears cascading down her face. He couldn't get information out of her, so he just focused on cleaning. He had grabbed a couple of towels from the bathroom and used it to wipe up the blood so as not to waste the limited material she had left. Then he took out peroxide and soaked a clean towel. "Mai, this is going to hurt, but I need to make sure to clean the wound thoroughly so it won't get infected."

"I know," she responded. "Just do it. I can take it."

Trunks hesitated, but he knew what he needed to do. He scrubbed that wound, the peroxide burning Mai as it disinfected the wound. Trunks grimaced and tensed but still continued to scrub even when Mai was crying out. When he finished, Mai was just whimpering. He started to line her body with gauze and then wrapped clean, white bandages around her torso. It took about twenty minutes to do it all, but when he finished, Mai was relieved. She looked up to her savior with thankful eyes only to see him looking at the ceiling and holding out another towel so that she could cover herself up. Because of that, she was very aware that she was sitting in her living room half naked and her face turned red. It was strange, now that the horror was over, that she was hyperaware and skittish. She grabbed the towel and wrapped it around her torso. When her movements stopped, Trunks looked down to her and offered her his hand to help her up.

Mai and Trunks stood in front of each other staring into each other's eyes. Hers were still full of tears, red, and puffy, and his just looked pitying but also still just as loving. "I'm so sorry," he told her. "If I had known he'd do this to you…"

She held her hand out to stop him. "No, I'd do it all again if it meant a chance to be with you," she stated. Realizing her mistake, she looked away. "I mean…"

"Come here," Trunks demanded, though his voice was still very gentle. Mai hesitated but walked over to him. He wrapped his arms around her and allowed her to lay her head on his shoulder.

The two stayed like that for a while and Mai finally relaxed. "Thank you," she quietly whispered. "Where…where did you learn all of that?"

Trunks shrugged and chuckled moving Mai's head slightly. "Well, my grandmother is a nurse, and mom used to injure herself a lot when she was younger so she got good with all the first aid stuff. Goten and I would do really stupid stuff when we were kids and let's just say mom knew what to do. So basically I learned by watching and experience. How…how have you been doing it all this time?"

Mai pulled away and met his concerned orbs with hers. "Survival instinct, I guess," she answered. "I didn't have much of a choice. The first time he hurt me he cursed and then left and returned with a first aid kit and threw it down in front of me telling me to fend for myself."

"Bastard," Trunks hissed. "Mai, there's gotta be something we can do. You know we'd do anything for you."

"Why?" Mai snapped at him. "You barely know me, Trunks. We've been friends for what, a week? Maybe two? And yet you want me to believe you'd involve yourself in this just because you want to help the girl you barely know?"

"Yes," Trunks replied seriously. His voice left no room for argument, and Mai's resolve weakened before she began crying again. This time she wrapped her arms under Trunks armpits and rested her hands on his shoulders. Her legs nearly gave out, so Trunks gently lifted her careful not to hurt her back. "There, there, it's going to be okay. Trust me."

She clutched him tighter, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. He sighed and then got a better grip on her before he started to walk. Mai panicked and tried to push him away. "Relax," he commanded lightly. "I'm just bringing you to your room."

"Trunks, you have to leave," Mai warned. "Zarbon won't be gone forever."

"It'll be fine," he assured her. "Let me take care of you, please. It'll put my mind at ease."

"O…Okay," she reluctantly accepted. Trunks smiled sadly as he brought her upstairs and gently placed her atop her bed.

She started to feel the effects of her day and lied down feeling overwhelmingly exhausted. She curled up, her back facing Trunks, but what surprised her was that she felt him get into bed beside her, embracing her from behind. She tilted her head back eyeing him nervously. Her heart thudded in her chest when he pressed his lips to her temple resting there for a moment before nuzzling against her and holding her. "Rest," he ordered. "I'll be right here. I'll make sure I'm gone before he gets back."

The girl nodded and removed her hand from underneath the towel. She took one of his hands in hers and lied them both on her stomach. Trunks felt something inside him stir and allowed himself to relax and lay his head down on the pillow. He didn't fall asleep, though. His mind was still on high alert, questions racing. How long had Mai been suffering like this? No, how long had Mai been suffering _alone_ like this? She clearly didn't have anyone to take care of her. Where had her mother gone? He knew the woman left, but she couldn't have left her daughter with this madman.

Mai's soft snores broke him out of his thoughts, his eyes wavering as he took in her distressed features. Even in sleep she looked terrified. He kissed her temple and pulled away again, quicker this time, and noticed her features soften. He breathed out a sigh of relief.

He felt a buzzing against his thigh and realized it was her phone in her back pocket. Cringing, he grabbed the device careful as to not touch the poor girl in any way deemed inappropriate. She had enough to deal with that day. There was a text from Zarbon and Trunks glared daggers at it. He knew it was an invasion of privacy, but he didn't give a shit. He opened her phone without a second thought.

 **You must be really damn lucky,** it read. **I'll be out of town until Monday. You better have a different attitude when I get back. Go nowhere but to school and to meet with that boy tomorrow and that's it. If you're missing from home again this time, I'll be reintroducing you to the whip.**

"Whip?" Trunks harshly whispered. Mai stirred slightly but didn't wake. "That damned son of a bitch."

Trunks couldn't believe he'd threaten her like that. He couldn't believe he used a _whip_ on her. Now he knew where that gash came from and he felt his stomach churn viciously. He needed to get her out of here, away from that man. He knew he felt strongly for her, and to see the woman he loved hurt like this killed him inside.

Wait, _loved?_

Even he was surprised by his own thought. He had had a crush on her, yeah. Was interested in getting to know her, sure. But _loved?_ He hadn't expected that to happen within a two week period. _Damn, that song was really accurate,_ Trunks thought forlornly remembering his quiet serenade as they danced. He shook out of that thought.

Trunks was sure anyone would think him crazy to have fallen for someone so fast. Hell, he thought it was a little crazy, but then he looked down at Mai's sleeping face and it didn't seem so crazy. _She deserves love,_ Trunks told himself freeing his hand from hers and stroking her face.

He hated that he skin was marred by bruises. It wasn't that she wasn't attractive, but those splotches, however faded, disturbed him. Each one meant another time this girl was hit. His hand clenched into a fist. Oh, how he wished he could make that bastard pay.

Well, at least Zarbon would be gone for a while, so he could make sure she got some rest. He decided to get some sleep as well, pulling her closer to him. "It'll be okay, Mai," he whispered in her ear. The girl muttered something incoherently. He chuckled. "Rest easy. We'll figure this out tomorrow. I promise."

It was a promise he intended to keep.


	15. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

Mai's eyes peeked open and she shot up when she saw it was night. She felt Trunks's arm still around her and was about to start having an episode when Trunks muttered out, "Relax. Zarbon's not here."

"What?" the girl nervously shot back.

Trunks opened his sleepy eyes and rubbed them, trying to wake up. "Yeah, he texted earlier. He's gone 'til Monday. You're safe."

He watched as Mai breathed out a sigh of relief. She then sadly said, "Yeah, for now."

This made Trunks frown and feel that awful feeling in his heart and gut. "Mai, come home with me. We'll keep you safe."

Mai turned to him and glared. "What part of 'I can't' don't you understand? He'll hunt me down and hurt whoever helps me."

"Mai, please," Trunks begged, his eyes imploring her to agree. "At least until he comes back."

At first she thought about it, but then she remembered his early homecoming from the previous week. "No."

"Fine," Trunks relented stunning the girl. She expected him to fight her more. "Then I'll just have to stay here."

That got Mai's attention. "The hell you will!" she shrieked. "Trunks, just leave. I don't want you here."

"Yeah, well guess what?" he retorted, and Mai was taken aback by the anger in his voice. "I don't fucking want you here either, so we either both go or we both stay. Your choice. I need to make sure you're okay. You need to change the bandages each day, and you're first aid kit is almost empty. I had to use almost everything just to get this one wound treated. Plus, it's going to be hard for you to dress yourself let alone cook for yourself and take care of yourself. Face it. I'm not leaving you alone to deal with this."

"Trunks…"

"I don't want to hear it," he continued, sensing she was going to deny him. "Make a choice."

Mai laughed weakly. "I was going to, idiot," she countered and Trunks's ire instantly deflated. "I…I don't want to be here. But…it's late. We can't…"

"Sure we can," Trunks assured her. He moved to kiss her forehead and smirked when he heard her suck in a breath. "You still have clothes at my house, remember. Take whatever else you need and we're leaving."

"Trunks, I have to come back…"

"Why?" he questioned. "Once you're with us, you'll be safe."

"You won't be," Mai argued.

"Don't care," Trunks responded forcing her to look at him. She frowned, but said nothing. "At least talk to my mom about this. She's an adult. She can give you some good insight."

Mai nodded. "I was going to talk to her about it the night of the dance, but…"

Trunks's eyes narrowed and he nodded despondently. He didn't want to think of it now. Then he realized how late it was and grimaced. His mother was probably worried sick about him. He took out his phone and looked at the display guiltily.

Four missed calls, seven texts…in the last hour alone.

He went to read the messages and saw four from his mother and three from Goten.

 **Dude, your mother called? You okay?**

 **Crap, Trunks, she's really upset. Where are you?**

 **Okay, seriously, this joke isn't funny. Pick up the damn phone! You're mother's going to have a breakdown.**

Yup…he could always count on Goten. It looked like Goten was the one harassing him with texts instead of the other way around.

Sighing, he chose his mother's number from the contacts and let the phone dial.

* * *

Bulma was pacing all around her kitchen. Tarble was downstairs with her trying to keep her calm. "Bulma, I'm sure he's fine."

"But what if he isn't?" she replied. "I…the school said he left on time."

"They also said he was dropping off Mai's work for her," Tarble reminded her. "He's probably still there."

"He would have called," Bulma stated. "He would have answered."

She thought back to Mai's situation, and that was why she was worried. The girl's stepfather had to be unbalanced. What if he hurt the two of them?

She had called Goku's to ask if Goten had heard from Trunks, but there had been no word. She called back multiple times. Hell, she even called Vegeta who had offered to come over, but truthfully she wasn't ready for him to find out about Tarble and her father while she was already having anxiety over her missing son.

It was nine at night and there was still nothing, but then, by some grace of God, her phone went off and she quickly answered it knowing Trunks's ringtone by heart. "Where the hell are you?" she yelled in exasperation.

" _Uh, sorry, mom,"_ Trunks nervously murmured. She could almost picture him running his hand through his lavender locks. Hearing his voice made her feel such relief. _"Look…something really bad happened."_

Bulma felt dread take over her again. "Are you and Mai all right?" she asked.

Her son's silence concerned her, but when she heard his voice she realized she had just surprised him. _"I'm okay…physically at least. Mai isn't, though. It's a long story. I was able to stop the bleeding and-"_

"Bleeding?" Bulma nearly yelled.

" _Yeah…but she's still hurt. Zarbon…her stepfather, he's out of town 'til Monday. She agreed to stay over with us. Mom…I…I hate saying this, especially since she's the one going through this, but I'm scared."_

"I know, baby," Bulma crooned. "I know."

" _Is it okay if she stays with us?"_

"Absolutely," Bulma answered. "Send me the address and I'll come pick you two up, okay?"

" _Okay,"_ Trunks replied. _"And mom…thanks…"_

"Of course," Bulma responded. "I love you, Trunks."

" _Love you, too."_

Bulma hung up her phone and moved to get her purse and keys. She looked to her brother. "Let's go. We need to pick Trunks and Mai up at her place."

"Bulma, what the heck is going on?" Tarble asked, his voice uneven.

"I'll explain on the way," Bulma replied. "We need to hurry."

Tarble nodded and the siblings left the apartment. Bulma looked so fearful of what they were walking into, and Tarble was growing increasingly worried. It didn't help that Trunks had been missing for basically seven hours with no word. Already, it had been a long night.

* * *

Trunks sighed after he hung up the phone and looked over his shoulder to see Mai exiting her room struggling to carry a shoulder bag. His eyes shone with concern and adoration, his mind reminding him just what this poor girl had to live with. He stood up and reached to take her bag from her. Mai didn't argue and watched Trunks cautiously as the bag was swung over his shoulder. "My mom'll be here soon," he offered. "You ready to go?"

His voice was strained, but Mai appreciated that he was trying to act like they were talking normally and not in this horrible situation. "Yeah," she whispered. "Trunks…"

"Hm?" he grunted out becoming serious again.

Mai wanted to act normally, but him being there was the complete opposite of normal. She embraced him causing him to release a noise of surprised before he gazed softly down at her. Her eyes were closed and her grip was weak, but he couldn't help but feel that sensation he did when she hugged him at the dance. His hand rested against her shoulders, his thumb gently stroking. "It'll be okay. You're with me, now."

It stunned him when she looked up at him, her eyes shining brightly with tears. Unlike before, she was smiling up at him. "Yeah," she agreed, her voice quieter than a whisper.

Trunks smiled tenderly. "Let's go shut the windows and get this place locked up."

Mai nodded and cautiously walked down the stairs, and Trunks followed closely behind. His phone, now finally unsilenced, went off, and he saw another text from Goten. **Dude, please tell me you're okay.**

Trunks sighed, his earlier conversation with his friend ever present in his mind. Wow, everyone's day had been so messed up. **Yeah, I'm okay. Sorry about that.**

 **What the hell happened?!** his friend sent back immediately.

The teenager cringed. He hadn't meant to give Goten any more stress than he already had to deal with. **I'm with Mai. I can't explain everything now, but my phone was on silent and I was taking care of her. All I'll say right now is that her stepfather is an asshole.**

 **Is she okay?**

Trunks shook his head. How could Mai be okay? Yeah, he had treated her, but she was a far cry from okay. **Not really,** Trunks admitted. **She's coming to stay with us again. I'll tell you everything tomorrow. I'm just really exhausted.**

 **Yeah, I get it,** Goten replied. **But I won't be at school tomorrow morning. Mom and dad are taking me to the psychiatrist. He's gonna try a new medication.**

Breathing a sigh of relief, Trunks answered, **That's great. Good luck with that. See you sometime tomorrow.**

 **G'night.**

Trunks pocketed his phone as he heard the last window get shut and locked. Moments later, they heard a car pull up and Mai looked out the door to see Bulma and Tarble getting out of the car. The woman ran up to them and hugged Mai making the girl gasp. Bulma then pulled Trunks in, too. "You had me so worried," Bulma whispered. "Both of you."

"Sorry," Trunks apologized sullenly. "I never turned up the volume after school because I was focused on getting here. Then…well…"

"It's okay, we can talk about it later," Bulma assured both of them. "Right now, we just need to get you home and probably fed."

"Yeah, we didn't eat," Trunks explained.

"Once you guys get home, I'll go get food for us from Applebee's or something," Tarble offered. "That's probably the only place open so late. Bulma, give me the keys."

"Sure," his sister sighed, tossing him her spare car keys. The kids had already gotten settled in the car, and to be honest her nerves were so rattled. She had no idea what the details were of what happened, but they were safe in her car with her. This stepfather of hers…Zarbon…he would be gone for four days. That was enough time to get Mai taken care of and come up with a plan. She couldn't live like this anymore. No one should ever be living like this.

Bulma took out her phone and texted Goku that she finally had Trunks with her and he was safe. He asked her questions that she was too tired and overwhelmed to answer. She promised she'd tell him the next day.

Then she texted Vegeta and explained what happened, that Trunks had been at Mai's and that Mai had been hurt and Trunks had stayed with her. Vegeta didn't even question and just gave her the following day off so that she could focus on her son and his friend. Bulma always seemed to have a lot on her plate and she was so used to trying to take care of it all herself even if she was overloaded. He felt that the least he could do was alleviate some of her stressors.

Of course, Vegeta knew it would be a big deal to Paragus. For some reason, he had taken to ridiculing his buffer and slandering her name. Vegeta couldn't understand it. What he allowed Bulma to do was none of the bastard's business. He had just been his father's yes man. Paragus had no power or right to question his decisions. The company was thriving, after all, even with Bulma working from home a couple days. It did suck, though, that this happened the day before a meeting. Well, Vegeta had survived these meetings before and kept himself centered by force. He'd have to get by on his own for just one more day.

Also, he told Bulma he'd like to take the three of them out to dinner the following evening. It wasn't so bad being around her son. He actually liked the kid. Trunks reminded him so much of himself when he was younger and he had the fire. Giving him advice seemed to be easy enough. It wasn't hard to listen to someone chatter on about their day. It honestly felt pleasing. Was it strange to want to be engaged by the teenager? Maybe it was, but Vegeta didn't care. Somehow, after only agreeing to date the week before, it felt like they were becoming their own little family. Vegeta realized that he had never truly felt like he had one of those before.

Bulma agreed and wished him a good night. Vegeta set his phone aside and sighed, thinking about the woman and all the things she had told him. How had this woman even entered his life again? Oh right, by chance. Raditz hadn't known she'd be at the club opening. Vegeta almost hadn't gone with his friend and Nappa. He honestly had been so pissed over the day that he was planning to brood at home. Raditz kept teasing him, taunting him. He actually _dared_ him to come along.

The woman had caught his eye, probably because of the blue hair. She was the only one there with that vibrant shade of blue. He had been looking to flirt, maybe a little bit more, but in their introduction she stood out even more. Vegeta was not his father. He wouldn't sleep with a married woman and ruin a family, so when she mentioned her son, he was skeptical. But in these days, you could never truly tell, so he questioned her and actually now could say he was glad she had been single.

Her life was a bit unconventional, but Vegeta's was as well. They matched each other perfectly, though he knew she was still guarded. For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to tell him more about her father, stepmother, and brother. He hadn't even heard her speak their names as of yet.

He understood. Whatever her reasons were, they were her own, so he could not penalize her for that. To be fair, he tried to hide himself for so long. He needed to bare himself to her, though. She needed to know what he came from so that she could eventually understand that he wouldn't hurt her the same way they had both been hurt. She would come around eventually, and he'd be ready for it.

For now, he could only keep her and the teenagers in his thoughts in a silent and rare prayer before he went to sleep. He didn't really know if he believed in God. His first girlfriend had, and for a while he had started to until she was taken from him. He kept her words close to his heart, though, and realized that all of this happening around him had to be an act of God. So, for the first time in over a decade, he prayed and asked for this one not to be taken from him, at least not anytime soon. Somehow, he was able to rest easy that night.

* * *

Mai was staring at the table in silence. Trunks had gotten done explaining everything to his mother including the horrible threat Zarbon had sent in the text message. The mother was far from pleased. This poor girl had been suffering so much that it was sickening. She didn't want her going back to that. "Well, I guess I need to be honest," Bulma sighed. "Mai, I kept my promise and I didn't go to child services with this, but I have a friend who works in child services and gave her a hypothetical. Basically, whatever you want to do is up to you, but you have a support system here and we'd be happy if you decided to stay with us."

Tarble nodded along with what his sister was saying. "Yeah, honestly, I've been planning on moving in with a friend of mine. He's been doing his best to keep getting me out there. Mai could take my room if she decided to stay."

"I can't stay," Mai argued. "He'll come after me and he'll come after you."

"You keep saying that, but what can he actually do?" Trunks pressed. Mai looked away. "Come on, Mai. Something had to have happened to make you feel this way. Is it because of your mother?" The girl hesitated and sucked in a breath when he asked that. "Did he force her to leave?"

Mai's expression grew grim. "No. Trunks…my mom didn't leave me. She died."

"What?" son, mother, and uncle gasped out.

"Yeah," Mai confirmed. "My mom's best friend, Pilaf, is Zarbon's younger brother. Zarbon didn't always act like this. He was…normal. Very nice guy who was really in love with my mother. They were married for three years before she died. It was some disease the doctors couldn't fix. Zarbon tried to do everything to make sure she was saved, but there was nothing that could be done. That was when I was thirteen. I was in danger of going into the foster system. Pilaf wanted to adopt me, but Zarbon used his connections, money, and power to take me in. He made it look so good, that he was suffering the loss and decided to keep the one last reminder of the woman he loved."

"But you said he did love her," Tarble pointed out.

"He did," Mai agreed, "but me…well…at first it was okay. He made sure I had everything I needed, but then any day that reminded him of mom, he'd get drunk and angry at me for being there, looking like her, being part of her. I think…I think he's mad at her for dying and takes it out on me."

"That's sick," Trunks murmured.

Mai nodded. "I know. The first time it happened, I don't think he was aware, and he went out for a walk and got a first aid kit that he threw down in front of me. I told you earlier, Trunks, but he basically told me to fend for myself. When he was sober, he never mentioned it, but one day he had had a bad day at work and took it out on me. He found that he actually enjoyed it somewhat, to get his anger out. There was a girl in my old school who tried to get close to me, but I kept pushing her away like I did to you. She was suspicious, very suspicious. She told me her mother would help, that she worked for CPS, but Pilaf had tried to call once before and I had, and both times he was able to make it look like I did it to myself."

"Why would you do that?" Bulma asked, not understanding why someone couldn't see through it.

"Because I was an antisocial, depressed child who was grieving over the loss of her mother," Mai said derisively. "There was no one I told so it couldn't be proved either way. He hurt me so badly one time that a doctor had to be brought in to check on me and the doctor didn't believe the lie. Somehow, he got put on trial for medical malpractice and Zarbon told me that he was responsible for the man losing his job, license, and credibility. No one believed him."

"You don't have to worry about any of that happening with us, Mai," Bulma guaranteed. "Vegeta is my boss, and to be honest I confided in him. He'd believe me over your stepfather if he ever went after my job. There's nothing he can do to hurt us or you if you stay here."

Mai still didn't seem convinced, so Bulma decided to go another way. "How old are you, Mai? You said your mother died when you were thirteen?"

"Uh, fifteen," she answered. "I'll be sixteen in the spring."

Bulma sighed. "Okay, here's the other option. My friend said that once your sixteen as long as you have a place to go, can take care of yourself and your finances, and have a stable job, you can petition for emancipation. You can explain the situation, but it's possible Zarbon might try to fight you on it, but it's still a good option. And until then, you can come here as often as you need even if you don't stay."

"I don't know if I can do that," Mai admitted, though the idea of getting away from Zarbon sooner rather than later sounded amazing. "Zarbon…he tells me what I'm allowed to do. If I stray, well. He already agreed to let me go to public school and to do that after school activity, but anything else I have to run by him."

"That's what that whole exchange was about when I offered for you to come over tomorrow to work on our project," Trunks finally realized. "And why he said what he did in the text."

Mai hugged herself and looked away from the supportive group around her. "I tried to get out of it the night of the dance and he basically said it entertains him that I think I can avoid my punishments." Her mind chanced to think about the next few months, if she could survive them. "I don't even know where I'd get a job."

"Hey, I know!" Trunks exclaimed excitedly. "Let's used the four days to look for jobs for you. You can always do something low key so Zarbon wouldn't stumble across you. You can start part-time and start saving, and when you're closer to getting emancipated you can switch to full-time. On the days you work, we can say we're working on a project at school."

At first, Mai smiled liking how Trunks was trying to think of an out for her, but then she remembered Zarbon's words from right before he left.

" _Don't ever fucking lie to me again."_

She shivered when she remembered the unwavering and dark tone to his voice as he uttered the words. There was no doubt in her mind that he would do more than just beat her if he caught her lying again. "He'll kill me if I lie to him again," she stated, her voice completely serious and even as she stared down at the table.

Trunks didn't like hearing that and instantly stood up. Mai stared at him with wide, confused eyes. "Then you're not going back." He looked to his mother. "The cops can't force her back there, can they?"

Bulma sighed and reluctantly nodded. "To an extent," she explained. "As her legal guardian, he can say she ran away and have them bring her home, but if they showed up and Mai told them the situation and that she wants to stay here until she can petition, then I don't think they'd force her home." Confidently, she gazed at Mai. "They can't listen to what he says only, now. You have us, and Trunks even though he didn't see anything was there listening and saw you hurt after Zarbon left. They would have someone investigate again, but it would take time."

"But we don't have time, I'm afraid," Mai replied. "Zarbon will be back on Monday, and I still have six months before I turn sixteen."

"We'll fight for you, Mai," Trunks assured her, taking her hand in his. Her eyes widened in shock as she met his soft and sincere gaze. "We'll come up with something. We're not letting you suffer like this."

Mai heaved a heavy sigh before she thought about another way, a compromise she was sure Trunks wouldn't like. "How about this?" she offered. "I'll be turning sixteen in March. I'll come here whenever Zarbon is away and start making plans to get emancipated. But…I don't want Zarbon coming after you, so I won't be living here all this time."

Trunks, not to Mai's surprise, stood up and hit the table with his fist. "That's not good enough, Mai. You can't go back to him."

"I can," Mai replied calmly, "and there's nothing you can do to convince me otherwise. It's the safest option right now. Even if he tries anything…I've survived it for a little over two years." Her serious façade was replaced with a sad smile as she looked up to her dumbfounded friend. "What's a few more months?"

"Mai…"

Bulma sighed and looked at the clock. It was already close to midnight, and she was sure both teenagers were exhausted. "We can discuss this more tomorrow. Emotions are high tonight, and you both need sleep."

Her son wanted to argue, wanted to continue the discussion until he could convince Mai to see reason, but Bulma could tell that Mai was stubborn. There was only so much that could be done. Mai had gone through a terrible ordeal that her son had the displeasure of witnessing. The girl probably wanted to retreat and be alone for a little while to process all of this new information and think. Trunks needed to reset himself and let the anger leave him. It was much easier said than done, but Trunks would be no help to Mai enraged.

After Bulma suggested turning in, Mai felt a wave of fatigue wash over her and stood up. She looked to Trunks, who still looked incensed, and offered him a shy smile. "She's right, you know."

Trunks opened his mouth to say something in retort, but he couldn't deny what either woman was saying and a straggled noise escaped him before he relented and sighed. "I know," he answered, his calmness seemingly returning. Mai was stunned when she saw the teenager's troubled eyes. "I just…I'm worried. I don't like the thought of you being hurt."

"R-Really?" Mai asked, her breath stolen away. She had known that Trunks was nothing like Zarbon or Kuriza, but she still wasn't expecting him to be this bothered by her pain.

"Of course," Trunks stated, his voice full of disbelief. "You…you didn't think that I…"

Mai's hand reached out and grabbed his shoulder, stopping Trunks from having to voice his thought. "No. I know you aren't like that. But you know…first friend, remember?"

Trunks felt his heart ache and softened completely, fists unclenching. He didn't know what to say to that, so he let the silence linger between them. Then, he walked over to the girl and took her hand. Her eyes questioned him, and he finally felt compelled to answer her. "Let's go upstairs and get you settled. We'll…talk more tomorrow."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Mai nodded and regarded the boy with a smile. "Thank you," she said gratefully.

The two of them said goodnight to Bulma and Tarble before Trunks went upstairs with Mai to get her comfortable. Meanwhile, Bulma released a frustrated groan and buried her head in her hands. Her brother also sighed, but he looked to his older sister compassionately. He couldn't blame her for having such a difficult time with this. "Hey," he murmured softly. Bulma lifted her head to acknowledge him. "What do you want to do?"

"Tonight, there's nothing we can do," Bulma told her brother, "but…Mai has her options now. We'll do whatever we have to so that she stays safe. Juu is already aware of the situation. If things get worse, she said she'd handle it personally. So…what is this about moving out?"

Tarble grinned slightly. "Yeah, he suggested it. I hadn't moved in with Maron yet, so I still had my apartment, but I didn't want to be there alone so I put everything in storage and came here. Cabba's roommate moved out so he needed someone to move in and we got to talking the other night. I hope you don't mind."

"Tarble, you're a grown man," Bulma teased sticking her tongue out at him. "I'm not going to give you grief. You've been living on your own for a while. I just want you to remember you're always welcome here. This is your home, too. It has been since you came here for college."

Her brother beamed at her in a way she hadn't seen since he had experienced his heartbreak. "Bulma, you're amazing. I really appreciate it. Thank you for everything."

His smile reminded her so much of their father's that Bulma had been caught in the good nostalgia for a moment. She fought the tears that threatened to come knowing her brother wouldn't understand what caused the wave of emotion. Unfortunately, she was not successful and a single tear caught Tarble's attention. "Uh, hey, what's wrong?" her brother asked, his voice full of concern.

Bulma could never lie. Her whole family, or at least those that mattered, knew she was physically incapable of lying. She could tell half of what she was thinking but omit the other half and be okay. As long as she didn't flat out lie or omit it all. "When you smile," she started, "you remind me of our dad."

What Bulma said made Tarble sore. He had always loved his father and had always hoped to be as a good a man as he was. There were times where he'd doubt himself, especially when he was in college. Bulma had stayed up with him some nights and listened and talked with him. There were times she would try to stroke his ego telling him that he was an even better man than their father, though Tarble knew she was just saying that because she was his sister. There was no way he could be better than his idol. He had done what he could to help Bulma with Trunks back then, but he still knew he could have done more. Of course, he'd never know he had done more just by being there with his sister and commending her for all of the good she was doing. He was a loving brother, and Bulma couldn't ask for anything more than that.

"That really means a lot, Bulma," Tarble returned. "Anyway, I figure Trunks will be coming to stay with me tonight. I'll go wait up for him."

Bulma nodded and watched her brother leave the room. She was strangely relieved for the moment's reprieve, for she couldn't allow her emotions to show. Not to him. He looked up to the façade their father had put on for the world. It made him strive to be a good person like the man who raised him. He never had to know the reality of her world. She didn't want him to know.

The woman released a derisive chuckle. "Well, Trunks," she murmured with slight bitterness. "I hope you finally realized that I wasn't out to make everyone hate you. Be happy Tarble will never know."

"Talking to yourself?"

Bulma nearly gasped when she saw her son standing in front of her. He was smiling sheepishly having heard some of what his mother was saying. The boy knew how hard it was for her, to have all this pain and only be able to share it with a few people. Still, he didn't need her to know he overheard one of her private moments.

"Yeah, sure kid," Bulma replied holding her arm out for a hug. Trunks chuckled and when over to hug his mother. "You holding up okay?"

"Hn," the boy grunted. "Yeah, I'm trying to, at least. But mom, it was bad. I could hear her screaming and begging. It was horrible. He…he…"

"Easy, Trunks," Bulma soothed squeezing her son just a bit. "We'll do whatever we can to help her."

Trunks brightened a little. "Yeah, you're right," he agreed. "Anyway, I'm going to get Mai some water so she can take some ibuprofen. She's in quite a bit of pain."

The mother grimaced. "I'm sure. Your uncle is waiting up for you, so try not to stay up too late. You have school tomorrow."

"I'll try," Trunks promised. "Thanks again, mom."

Bulma smiled at her boy who was growing up so fast. He was so determined and set on protecting Mai. He was no longer a child, and he was hit with reality in such a horrible way. She had only ever seen Trunks angry when it came to her own father. Smiling, she shook her head. At least she knew that she had done right by Trunks, and he had grown up to be a very good man just as she had always hoped.

Wow, she was getting really sentimental now. Of course, it was really late, so that wasn't much of a surprise. She'd have to take a page from Goku's book. When it got late and one was bombarded by thoughts, it was time to go to bed. She shut off the lights in the kitchen and made her way to her room. As she got into bed, there was only one thing on her mind.

Hopefully, the following day would be much better.

* * *

Trunks sat down beside Mai placing the glass of water and painkillers on his nightstand. He didn't notice Mai watching his every movement for his mind was elsewhere. What had happened that day was weighing heavily on Trunks, especially when considering she had been all alone. She said it twice now, that he was her first friend, the only one she had let close enough and he wasn't even meant to see her that way. Still, he was thankful he had been there. Her screams, her desperate cries…he couldn't get them out of his head. All he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her, hold her, cherish her, and protect her.

His mind went blank before he was brought back to reality as Mai's arms wrapped around his shoulders. She hid her face in the crook of his neck. Her grip was so tight and she was pressed up against him in a way where he could feel her shaking. His eyes dimmed as he unwrapped her arms from around him. She looked upset, but then he faced her and pulled her to him. "It'll be okay," he promised, closing his eyes as he willed his words to be true. "You're not alone anymore."

"Trunks…" Mai sighed, her voice a little lighter. She frowned and looked away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you involved and put this all on you."

"That doesn't matter," Trunks assured her sternly. "What matters is helping you heal and keeping you safe."

He was about to release her and leave, but she just clung to him harder. He was stunned, but just looked to her in question. "I…I don't want to be alone. C-Can you…?"

"Yeah," Trunks answered. "Just let me go tell my uncle, okay? He's expecting me." Mai hesitated, but she nodded. She knew she was being a little ridiculous now, but she couldn't help it.

Trunks returned moments later and shut the light as he entered the room, closing the door behind him. He sat down beside Mai and handed her the painkillers she still hadn't consumed. "Here."

"Thanks," Mai responded, taking them and the offered glass of water. She gulped the pills down and handed the glass back to Trunks before resting her head on the pillow. Trunks kicked off his shoes and lied down beside her. The two teenagers were facing each other, Trunks reaching out to run his fingers through the girl's raven hair. Mai stared at Trunks, not blinking even once.

Her doe-eyed expression amused Trunks. He pulled Mai closer to him, her arms safely pressed against his chest. Kissing her forehead, he murmured something against her skin so quietly that Mai almost couldn't understand it. "You don't have to thank me for doing what's right."

Those were words that Mai had never really heard in her life, though they made her feel at ease. Lying in Trunks's arms in that moment was the safest she had ever felt. He believed her, which is something she'd never thought possible. Well, that wasn't fully true. That girl from her last school had been suspicious which was why Mai continued to push her away. Why she hadn't done that to Trunks, she didn't know, but she was very thankful she hadn't. She was thankful he hadn't turned away from her despite her treatment of her.

Mai now understood what it meant to be blessed, for that's what Trunks and his family and friends were to her, a blessing. Night fell and she was ready for rest. She allowed herself to fall asleep knowing that Trunks wouldn't let anything happen to her. She knew that, at least for now, she was safe from harm.


	16. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

And here's for another double feature considering the long awaited date chapter is next chapter towards the end. I must say that I enjoyed writing it, especially because the date scene was based off of a bar that was on the cruise we were on a couple weeks back. It was a really fun experience and it was something I loved, so I wanted to add it to a chapter. So that's next chapter.

* * *

The sun shone brightly the next day, and Mai woke up feeling very well rested. She was stunned, though, to find herself alone. Trunks had stayed the night with her yet he wasn't anywhere in sight, and the sun was high enough to suggest that it was late morning. She looked to the nightstand and was surprised to find a folded piece of paper that wasn't there the night before. Cautiously, she reached out to it, opened it, and read it.

 _Mai,_

 _Mom and I thought it was best to let you sleep. She said she would change your bandages after breakfast. I'll tell your teachers today that you'll be back tomorrow. I hope you have a good day._

 _Trunks_

A smile graced the teenager's features as she put the note aside. She had wanted to return to school, but she had to admit that the sleep felt really good. It was time to go about her day, though she wasn't looking forward to Bulma changing her bandages. It was strange to her that she felt more comfortable with a teenaged boy than with another woman when it came to having the bandages replaced.

The apartment was quiet save some daytime television show. Mai went to the living room and saw Bulma sitting on the couch with her laptop. At the sound of Mai's footsteps, the woman looked up and grinned. "Well, good morning, sleepyhead," she greeted fondly. "Are you hungry? I can quickly whip up some breakfast for you."

Shyly, Mai returned her smile. "Sure. Thank you."

"Not a problem," Bulma replied. "Come on. You can keep me company, kay?"

"Okay."

The two women were in the kitchen, Bulma mixing up some batter. "You don't have any food allergies, do you?" Mai shook her head. "Good. Then how do blueberry pancakes sound?"

"I like blueberries," Mai answered as she watched the woman fold them in the batter.

The two were silent for a while, but it didn't feel awkward or uncomfortable. Mai normally didn't feel this peaceful, even the last time she stayed over. Maybe it was different because Bulma, Trunks, and Tarble all knew what was going on in her life. She didn't need to keep everything hidden and she didn't have to cover up her nightmares. Her fears of an adult running to child services was mitigated, though she didn't know how thrilled she was that Bulma had confided the matter to her friend. To be honest, she felt like the woman had spoken a half-truth, that she hadn't told her friend specifics, but it was possible the social worker could have picked up on it anyway. Either way, she had to trust Bulma the way she trusted Trunks.

She had been thinking all night, even lying so comfortably in Trunks's arms, about the options Bulma had given her the night before. Part of her didn't want to return, wanted to stay with these people and start trying to take control of her life, but she knew what would happen. Zarbon would make Trunks's family's life hell. They were such wonderful people. They didn't deserve that.

"Hey, where'd you go?"

Mai snapped out of her thoughts and met the concerned gaze of her friend's mother. "Huh? What do you mean? I'm right here."

"You are," Bulma agreed, "but your mind wasn't. Believe me; I can tell."

The girl sighed and shook her head. "You…you said your father emotionally abused you. How did you get away from him?"

"Well," Bulma murmured. "Truthfully, I was never with him for long. Tarble doesn't know any of this and I'd like to keep it that way." Mai nodded. "My father and mother met in college and he told her he loved her and wanted to marry her, but when she turned up pregnant, he told her he couldn't be a father and husband. When she told him to be a father only, then, he said he couldn't do it and she told him it wasn't a revolving door. I didn't meet him until I was eight, but I always caught him in his lies. Because I confronted him, he started degrading me from a young age. I had some good memories, don't get me wrong, but he could be vicious. I developed horrible anxiety and self-loathing, and even now I still sometimes get drawn back into old habits of picturing too much in the future, like what would happen if I told my stepmother just how devastated I truly was, or if Tarble ever found out. So, I can't really tell you how I got away from him. Honestly, I only started to feel like myself years after he died, and I had Trunks so I avoided thinking about it and just did everything I could to ensure he'd have a good life."

Mai smiled and nodded. "He's very happy. I can see it every time he tells me about something you two have done. And he's really very kind. I thought I could push him away, but he just kept acting like I never insulted him."

"He is definitely a stubborn one," Bulma chuckled. "Like the majority of our family."

Never had Mai felt so entertained that she laughed so lightheartedly or felt like she belonged, not since her mother. She remembered a few times where Pilaf had taken her and her mother out after Mai's father left. Mai didn't remember the man at all, but Pilaf was always there for them. Of course, he and her mother had never fallen in love, but they were very understanding of each other. Mai sometimes wondered how much easier it would have been if Pilaf had been in love with her mother instead of his older brother.

"Here you go."

Bulma handed Mai a plate of pancakes and a bottle of something that looked like maple syrup but wasn't. "A…a gave? What's a gave?"

"Agave," Bulma chuckled. "It's a sweetener, but it tastes like syrup. Trunks and I are both allergic to maple trees…and by associated, all their products like syrup. For me, it's mild. I just get the sniffles. Trunks, his allergy is more severe. He used to love eating maple candy, but one day he had such a horrible reaction that we just don't keep syrup in the house. I mean, we could pick up some, but this tastes almost identical, so we never bothered since Tarble didn't care."

"I don't either," Mai assured her taking the bottle. "I'm glad you told me so that I know for the future."

Bulma answered with a nod and then returned back to the living room, but not before telling Mai to get her if she needed anything. The girl sat down and started eating the pancakes. Eyes widened when she tasted them. They were really good, especially in the agave nectar stuff Bulma had handed her. The morning continued to be peaceful, and she allowed herself to rest and watch television with Bulma as she colored. As the day went on, she realized that Bulma and Trunks were right. Having a good night's rest and feeling relaxed was the only way to make a decision. That was when she decided to start thinking of her escape plan.

* * *

Trunks was deep in thought when Goten and Gohan showed up in the cafeteria. "Hey, man," Goten greeted. "What's got you so out of it?"

"It could have to do with his late night running around," Gohan pointed out taking out the sushi his mother made and breaking apart his chopsticks.

Goten did the same and offered Trunks another pair. "Here, mom made you some, too. She had me bring lunch for everyone since I was coming in late."

"Thanks," Trunks sighed, taking the sushi. He had brought his own lunch, but honestly he wasn't in the mood for it.

The two brothers looked to each other nervously. Trunks usually went nuts when their mother made sushi, but today he was spacing out, looking out the cafeteria windows at the bright, blue sky. "So…" Goten murmured quietly so that no one else could hear him save his brother and friend. "What exactly happened last night? You're not acting the same."

Trunks grimaced. He knew he was being obvious, but he couldn't help it. He was the same, but at the same time he had changed after hearing and experiencing what he had last night. Part of him tried to picture having a terrible father like his mother had, and now Mai's stepfather on top of it, but he never could because he had only ever had his mother. Sure, Goku was there but he was more of an uncle than a father, but he was a good father to Gohan and Goten.

He figured he had his mother's sense of right, but who could blame him. Lives would be so much easier for people if others stopped trying to hurt them. Everyone deserved to feel happy and safe in their lives. "It…" Trunks breathed out looking off to the side, "isn't something we can discuss here, especially if Valese and Videl show up."

Gohan looked confused, but then he realized that he and Trunks weren't as close as Trunks and Goten were and even his presence might have been making him keep quiet. He wasn't offended, but whatever was going on clearly bothered Trunks a lot. No matter what, they were still family. "Hey, if it's me you're worried about, I can keep quiet."

Trunks looked to Gohan, but he shook his head and glared down at the table. "It's complicated. "It's really not my secret to tell."

"But it's eating you up inside," Goten stated. "Even I can see that. You said it was about Mai…Mai and her stepfather?"

Trunks's eyes widened. He remembered texting Goten the night before, but he didn't remember their conversation at all. "Yeah," he replied. "Guys, with the rumor queen skulking around us, I really just don't want to say anything."

"It must be really bad then," Gohan settled. "Is Mai okay at least?"

Trunks nodded, but his eyes didn't seem to believe it. The brothers couldn't even ask anything else when the two girls of their group showed up. Videl had taken to hanging out with them more since the movie night, especially after she and Gohan went on a coffee date. They weren't an official couple, at least not yet, but it worked for them. It at least kept rumors about them at bay. At school, they just seemed like normal friends.

Valese took a seat beside Goten and took his chopsticks from him to steal a piece of his meal. Goten was used to the girl's brazen actions. Besides, her innocent smile always melted him to the point where he'd allow her to get away with everything. "Hey," he greeted softly.

"Hey yourself," Valese responded, leaning her head on his shoulder before she took out her own lunch. She waved over to Gohan who simply smiled politely and nodded. Then she looked to Trunks, about to greet him, but her expression faltered when she saw him practically playing with the food and chopsticks in front of him. "Is he okay?"

Goten's brow furrowed, his gaze skeptical even as he nodded to reassure her. "Yeah, he just had a late night. You know how it is."

"Eh, we all have nights like that," Videl accepted. "But you better eat and shake it off. You're going to need energy for gym. We're going to be starting the martial arts lessons today. I mean, I'm sure you guys can handle it, but they're bringing in an actual instructor."

Trunks's attention was caught. "What?" He couldn't believe he had forgotten about the martial arts module. His mind instantly shifted to Mai. She needed to learn this stuff, but she was still injured and refused to go to the doctor. She wouldn't be able to be excused from the activity. The idea of her getting hurt more bothered him so much.

"Yeah…Piccolo something," Videl stated. "I here he runs a dojo and is like a drill sergeant when it comes to his students. It's going to be a very intensive starting Monday."

"Monday," Trunks said bitterly. Monday was going to be a really sucky day.

The four friends all exchanged glances that spoke of their wondering. Something was wrong with Trunks, but he wasn't talking, and the only two to have a semblance of an idea were Gohan and Goten for they knew Trunks's mood was related to Mai and her stepfather. Other than that, they knew nothing.

Their concern was skyrocketing.

* * *

At gym, Goten waited for Trunks to finish getting dressed. Gohan left the room with the rest of the class saying he'd cover for his brother and friend. While Trunks changed, which by the way took forever, Goten checked around the locker room to make sure the doors were closed and they were completely alone. "So…Trunks, what's going on?" Goten asked.

Out of nowhere, the deafening silence in the room ended as Trunks hurriedly shifted. He must have been zoned out again. It was so unlike him, to lose himself like this. Something really bad must have happened. He remembered Trunks saying he took care of Mai. Was she really that ill?

Trunks came out of the stall and looked around. Normally he got dressed around the other guys like normal, but he just needed time to think. "We're alone," Goten assured him causing Trunks to look at him. His expression softened when he saw how concerned his friend looked.

"I'm sorry if I'm worrying you," Trunks offered.

"Hey, it's okay," Goten replied. "I'm going to be okay. I was just given a new med, so we'll see what happens, and mom looked up a lot of home remedies for anxiety, plus your mom told her about aromatherapy. Between all of that, I'll be fine. And I worry you all the time, so there. Now, what's going on?"

"You can't tell anyone," Trunks ordered.

"I got it."

"I'm serious, Goten," Trunks warned. "If anyone found out and went to someone, Mai's life could be in danger."

"Wait, what?" Goten gasped out, flabbergasted. "What do you mean 'danger?'"

It was so hard to say. Trunks thought it would be easy to tell his best friend. They told each other everything, and usually Goten was the one that had trouble with admitting things to him in a timely manner. "Look," Trunks wearily said, "Mai's tried to get help before, but it's backfired on her."

"Help for what?" Goten questioned scratching the back of his head. "You aren't making any sense."

"It's so complicated," Trunks replied, and for the first time Goten could see how truly worn his friend was. "He hurts her, Ten."

His friend's eyes were as large as saucers. "W-w-what?" he sputtered out. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly as it sounds," Trunks bit out before looking away. "She's been absent because she was so bruised up and in pain. Yesterday, her teachers sent me to her house with classwork, and I knew the second she opened the door. There was bruising on her face and arms, though they were almost faded, but she had a horrible injury on her back that reopened when he beat her around. He had basically kicked me out, and I stayed outside and waited. I had to hear everything that happened in there, her screaming and crying, and then I found her bleeding from the reopened wound and I had to treat her. She's home with my mom right now."

"Jesus," Goten breathed out, which was very unlike him. Sure, he cursed from time to time, but his mother never let him get away with taking the Lord's name in vain. It happened occasionally, though, for both boys, especially with something like this. In a way, they were saying a prayer because there was no way in any universe that Mai deserved that kind of treatment. "That's…it's a lot to take in."

"I know," Trunks agreed. "But you can't tell anyone. CPS got involved a couple of times and he beat her even worse because of it. Once was before summer this past year started."

"Trunks…" Goten called out, awed. He knew his best friend better than anyone, and he could tell Trunks was at war with himself. It was truly disheartening to see his rock suffering. There was only one thing he could do for him right now, and that was to support him. "You have my word. I won't tell anyone, not even Gohan."

Lavender hair shifted covering Trunks's face as he breathed a sigh of relief. He offered his friend a smile. "Thanks, Goten."

"Always."

The two remained silent for a minute before someone entered the locker room. It was the temporary coach, Piccolo, and he did not look pleased as he crossed his arms. "Are you boys planning on joining us anytime soon? Gab on your own time."

"Sorry, sir," Trunks nearly scoffed. He never really handled being talked down to well.

"Yeah, it won't happen again."

Piccolo grimaced. "See that it doesn't. Next time I won't hesitate to mark you late. I hear your school gives detentions once you have three marks."

"We know," both boys deadpanned before walking past the instructor. Stoicism intact, Piccolo glowered at their retreating forms, a sour expression on his face. To be honest, his mind was repeating the conversation he had just overheard, his excellent hearing having picked up on the topic. He had wondered if he had heard correctly. He only caught the tail end of the conversation, so he couldn't be certain.

He'd have to keep an eye on these students.

* * *

Mai was resting in Trunks's room, her eyes closed as she listened to some classical music he had amongst his CDs. She was starting to realize he had been serious about how he liked almost all types of music. Her day, so far, hadn't been bad at all. She and Bulma had spent some time watching old TV shows that she used to watch with her mother when she stayed home sick. Mai vaguely remembered watching "Little House on the Prairie" with her mother as a child, the woman making her warm soup when she was sick.

Eventually, Bulma's friend, who Mai could easily recognize as Goten's father, showed up. He had said that he was worried about Bulma after her scare over Trunks the evening before. Mai decided to give them privacy and take some time to relax. That's when she came up to Trunks's room, her temporary room for the moment, and took out her sketchbook. The thoughts of Zarbon were still at the back of her mind which made her think of Pilaf. She realized that this was a huge development in her life that maybe the man should know. She sent him a text to let him know she was staying with a friend who now knew of what Zarbon was putting her through, that he practically witnessed it and tried to treat her himself.

Pilaf wasn't thrilled that someone had needed to treat her, but he was happy she was somewhere safe and asked if he could see her. He wanted to talk to her about what could be done for the future, and he believed this friend of hers sounded like a good first step. Mai agreed and sent the address, and Pilaf agreed to wait to meet up the next day considering she needed to make sure it was okay with Bulma that she was inviting someone over. She fell back against Trunks's pillows and looked up at his ceiling. She had put the music on earlier and decided to just close her eyes and stop thinking.

She hadn't realized how long it had been until she heard someone practically sprinting up the stairs before they slowed at the top. Trunks's bedroom door opened and shut and she could tell the person was trying to be quiet. Whoever it was believed her to be asleep and probably didn't want to wake her. Then, the person went to shut off the music and then kicked off shoes. Mai had no doubt that it was Trunks. After all, the person came over to the bed and lied down positioning her so that she was lying against his chest like the previous night. It definitely felt like Trunks.

What shocked her and nearly made her tense was the feeling of his lips pressed against hers. It was a quick and light kiss, and Trunks pulled back immediately as if trying to pretend it didn't happen. Most likely, he was trying to steal a kiss from her when he wouldn't get caught. Was he really that nervous about it? That was actually kind of cute, really. Mai had to force herself not to smile giddily at the thought of her first kiss being the sweetest thing she had ever experienced in her life.

"I promise, Mai," his smooth voice reached her. He was talking to her as if she could hear him, which he didn't know she really could. "I'll protect you, no matter what. We all will. I can't even begin to tell you how much it pains me that you've been alone in all this. I wish I had met you so much earlier."

Mai's heart was hammering in her chest by this point. Hearing someone say these things to her was overwhelming. She felt like, for the first time, she really mattered. Since her mother, she hadn't felt that way. She felt like another worthless existence that didn't belong in anyone's life.

His nose traced the back and side of her neck before he rested his forehead in the crux. She heard him take in a shaky breath and nearly ended her façade. She never expected Trunks to act or feel like this. Since he had found out the truth, it was like something inside him had changed. "No man should ever do to you what was done," he nearly growled. "I'm so, so sorry."

Finally, she reached her hand up and laced it through his lavender locks. Trunks gasped and pulled away looking down at her coy smile. "Men also shouldn't lose control of their emotions like this," she teased. He could tell she was teasing because of her humored voice and pleased grin.

Trunks chuckled. "Uh," he replied awkwardly. "How long have you been awake?"

Mai sat up, the smile never leaving her face. "Well, I could lie, but I won't," she stated. "Since you came up the stairs."

His face immediately flushed red. "O-Oh," he stuttered. "I…thought you were sleeping."

"I know," Mai told him. She pressed her forehead against his and scratched the back of his head lightly. His eyes shut and he nearly moaned from the contact. He didn't want to say it, but that felt really good. "And it's okay."

"Really?" He seemed very surprised by this.

"Yeah, really," she answered, her voice sounding more at peace. Trunks wondered what had happened between the night before and that moment. "I…gave everything some more thought."

"You did?"

"I did. You're right. I can't keep living like this, but I also can't just leave either, so I have a slight plan."

Trunks's brow quirked. "Okay…"

"I do want to go apply for jobs tomorrow," Mai stated. "It would have to be something part time and schedule flexible, which is going to be hard enough itself. I want to go to the bank and open up an account for myself. I…don't know how it goes for teenagers making an account, but I want to start saving money. Unfortunately, though, I need to make sure Zarbon doesn't suspect anything so I really do have to…"

"Mai," Trunks sighed, wrapping his arms around her. "Please, you can't."

"I have to," she firmly declared still rubbing his head. "I don't want to. If we're being honest, I really would rather stay here, but I'm going to need you to accept this until I feel I can get away from him. I want to ask your mom's friend if I can file early since I'll be sixteen in the spring. I don't want to have to wait months after I turn sixteen, you know? And I also need to make sure that whoever reviews my case knows not to contact Zarbon right away. Once it gets closer to my sixteenth birthday, well…every year, Zarbon expects me to come home and then…well, you know." Trunks nodded, his expression grim. "I won't go home. By that point, I'm sure I can get anything sentimental over to here and we can get the process started. I'm still afraid of what he can do, but I don't know. This is the first time anyone had suggested emancipation, and I really like it."

"Maybe we can get a restraining order on him, too, once the proceedings start," Trunks suggested. "That way you can be safe during."

Mai nodded against his forehead. "I don't know what it is about you," she sighed, "but you really make me want to fight. You make me feel like I can do this."

Trunks smiled softly, yet his confidence in her exuded off of him. "You _can_ do this," he ascertained. "I still don't like the idea of you going back to that bastard, but I will do whatever it takes to get you out of there. Just…if you're really hurt…"

"I'll call," she promised. "I'll make sure you know what's going on every night, and if it's something I can't treat on my own I'll leave early and come here."

It wasn't the best circumstance, though Trunks was relieved that Mai was truly considering taking the steps towards her freedom. Still, it was driving him crazy that she still wanted to go back. "I can't say I like it, but it's better than nothing, I guess," he muttered.

Mai smiled sympathetically. "I know this is really hard," she stated. "I'm sorry I can't do better."

"Ah, Mai…" Trunks interjected as she tried to turn away from him. "None of this is your fault. You're just doing what you think is best for you and the safest option you have at the moment. You're doing the best you can with the cards you were dealt, and we'll make sure we do everything we can to make it easier for you." Mai eyed him strangely. "What?"

"'The cards you were dealt?'" Mai quoted questioningly.

"Uh, mom's aunt said that to her about her father one time," Trunks explained. "She was his younger sister, and mom had never really talked to her about anything because she always reported back to her brother. After he died, well, a little over year later at least, mom talked to her aunt about it, had a breakdown one Thanksgiving. Only a few people in his side of the family know what he put her through. Mom's grandparents, her grandmother's brothers, her cousin, her father's brother and sister, and that's about it. Even Grannie Launch knows to a certain extent, but well…"

"That sounds like a lot of people…"

"It is, but even though some of them were aware, mom never talked to them about it. They don't know the things he said. Uncle Tarble doesn't know. Other cousins just know that he caused problems for the family, but they don't know specifics. Mom's only ever spoken to her grandparents, cousin, and aunt about it, and she didn't talk to her cousin or aunt about it until more than a year after Trunks was dead."

"You were named after him?" Mai asked, stunned.

Trunks nodded. "Yeah," he replied. "Uncle Tarble pointed out how much I looked like him when I was born, and mom decided to give me his name. She wanted to have a better relationship with me than she did with her father."

"I hope I'm not speaking out of turn, but what about your relationship with your father? You never mention him." She watched as Trunks blinked before he just started laughing. "That bad?"

"No, not at all," Trunks assured her. "You see, mom had a condition and had limited time to have kids, and the guy she was seeing at the time wasn't ready to have kids, so mom did artificial insemination. I never had a father, just mom and her family and friends. For the most part, everyone was really supportive. It took Grannie Launch some time to come around to the idea, and also Gramma's family, but Gramma, Goku, and Uncle Tarble were probably the most supportive."

Mai looked amazed, and she was. To be honest, she hadn't expected to hear that, but she was strangely relieved Trunks didn't have a horrible parent lurking out there somewhere that would cause him pain. The fact that Bulma raised such an amazing son who would put himself in danger for someone else all by herself made Mai respect the woman all the more.

There was a knock on the door. "Come in," Trunks permitted.

Bulma entered the room and smiled at the two teenagers sitting so close together yet so casually. "Vegeta wanted to take us all out to dinner tonight," Bulma told them. "We're going to go pick him up in a little while."

"Okay," Trunks said happily, and Mai finally noticed the admiration in Trunks's eyes. She smiled at how endearing that was. Now she finally understood why Trunks seemed to idolize Vegeta. He needed someone to look up to. "We'll be down in five?"

"Five minutes is good," Bulma agreed. "I'll be waiting in the car. Don't forget to lock up."

"I won't."

The mother grinned before leaving them alone to get ready. She slowly descended the stairs feeling very light despite all that was going on. Talking with Goku had helped a great deal. She explained the situation to him and the importance of secrecy. She did tell him that Juu was aware, so she would continue to consult their friend's wife. Goku promised he'd keep everything in confidence and that he would help any way he could. He understood how torn up Bulma must have felt over the situation. She was a strong woman, no doubt, but even the strong had situations they couldn't stomach. Emotional and physical abuse to a child was her major trigger. In addition to his promise made to Bulma, he made his own mental promise to keep an eye out for the woman. She always did that for him, after all.

At the same time, Bulma was very thankful she had explained everything to Vegeta already. She had already texted him that she brought up the emancipation idea to the teenager, but that she had to wait until she turned sixteen to become independent. Vegeta assured her that everything would fall into place, especially knowing that she and Trunks were looking out for the girl. His positivity made her feel a lot calmer. She needed to be calm, especially since she knew her son's emotions would be very high during all of this.

At least as far as support systems went, Bulma, her son, and Mai were covered. They truly were blessed to have such wonderful people in their lives.

* * *

The drive to Vegeta's was uneventful, the two teenagers chattering in the back about lighter topics. Bulma glanced in the mirror, smiling sadly. All these kids really did remind her of her own group of friends. Whenever they dealt with such devastation, they did their best to distract each other. She remembered the days of talking about random topics, usually anime or videogame related considering their hobbies.

Vegeta was waiting outside leaning against the wall of his building, arms crossed, but the sound of a car caught his attention. He noticed that it was Bulma's and made his way to the road, getting in as she pulled up. "Hey," Bulma greeted.

"Hello," Vegeta smoothly replied back before glancing over his shoulder at the teenagers. Trunks was grinning at him as usual, yet Mai looked fearful. He understood it given her ordeal. He didn't know how to pacify the girl yet, so instead he decided to get the ball rolling with Trunks. "How was school?"

"Huh?" Trunks murmured, having not thought about school since he had been home. "Oh, right. Not bad. We started martial arts in gym. They have a new coach in." He looked over to Mai. "And all our friends were asking about you. They were worried."

"Really?" Mai skeptically asked.

"Of course," Trunks chimed. "They'll be really happy to see you Monday."

Mai didn't answer, but Bulma didn't want the conversation to die down. "Martial arts, huh? You and Goten must be enjoying yourself."

"We'll see Monday," Trunks determined. "This new coach told us that we will only be learning the moves, and he'll be partnering us up in groups. He said there won't be any fighting allowed. He'll probably have us doing visualization training."

Vegeta smirked at the idea. "Sounds interesting. I take it you're familiar with that type of training."

"Yeah, I'm on the martial arts team. It takes off after football season," Trunks explained. "You?"

"I dabbled in martial arts when I was younger," Vegeta answered. "Came in handy a few times over the course of my life."

"Uh oh," Bulma teased lightly. "This could either be a very good or a very bad story."

"There is no story," Vegeta retorted. "At least not one that needs to be told as of yet. So, where does everyone want to go?"

"Mai, why don't you pick?" Trunks offered. "Anything you want to eat?"

"Um…I don't know," Mai answered. "Uh, It…Italian?"

"Sure, that's doable," Vegeta agreed. "Make a left three streets down. There's a decent place we could go."

"Aye, aye, captain," Bulma relayed with a salute.

* * *

Mai looked around the crowded restaurant nervously, though Trunks took her hand and squeezed it to assure her she was fine. The maître d' sat them at a table away from the crowd, leaving them menus, and then walking away. "Order whatever you'd like," Vegeta stated.

"Thanks," Trunks chimed before taking a look over the menu. "So, you asked how school was. How was work?"

"Fine," Vegeta remarked. "Irritating, but fine."

"I take it there was another board meeting, huh?" Bulma questioned, her voice full of sympathy. "What are they giving you grief for now?"

"Nothing," Vegeta grunted. "Just Paragus blowing smoke as always. It's fine. By the way, Trunks, I'm getting the paperwork ready for your position. I can give it to you when we get back to the apartment so that we can submit it and get you started."

"Are you sure you're going to be okay with all of your activities?" Bulma asked her son. "I mean, this is usually the time you're at school constantly."

"Eh, we just have a couple practices this upcoming week, and then none the following because we don't have a game and the coach is out of town," Trunks explained. "It'll be fine, mom. Don't worry."

"Well, as long as you're sure," the mother murmured under her breath.

Her displeasure was evident, but both Trunks and Vegeta knew she was only concerned about her son running himself too thin. Trunks knew more than anyone considering how much her mother had done in high school and how stressed she was at times because she couldn't get the work done before two in the morning. "Hey, I promise. A couple all-nighters won't kill me. I'm not taking honors classes like you were, and I only have one AP. I can handle the workload."

"Woman, he's not going to be doing anything chaotic," Vegeta said with a chuckle.

"I know, I know." Bulma sighed and shook her head. "Is this going to become a habit? The two of you tag teaming me?"

"It's a distinct possibility," Trunks teased, an impish smile gracing his features. Vegeta gave a curt nod to express his agreement. Bulma looked between the two of them straight-faced.

Mai looked between three of them, amusement dancing in her eyes. The girl had gotten used to Trunks's antics with his mother, but it was kind of funny to see how the teenager and Vegeta played off each other. Though Bulma was slightly disgruntled, her irritation was more of a joke as she chuckled at the two men and shook her head fondly saying, "Too much."

It was nice that Trunks got along so well with his mother's boyfriend, especially after she had learned about Trunks's father or lack thereof. She wondered if Trunks would have been this laidback with any guy Bulma dated. Knowing him, whether he liked the guy or not, he would do anything to support his mother's happiness. He was always concerned with making sure everyone was happy.

"So that's your plan."

Vegeta's voice cut through her thoughts. She found him looking at her. "Excuse me?"

"Trunks was just saying that tomorrow you two were going to the mall to pick up job applications. You want to go the emancipation route."

Mai blinked a few times. She hadn't suspected Vegeta to acknowledge her much. Instantly, she put up her front, shooting back irritably, "What's it to you?"

"It's a long process, but you need an immediate fix," Vegeta stated. "If you choose to go through with it, I can help. I did that myself. Still, I would consider speaking to Bulma's friend. It's in your best interest to get out now."

Scornfully, Mai turned away. "Yeah, well…that's your opinion."

"Mai, easy," Trunks mollified. "Just think about it, okay. I think Juu could help you."

"I already told you no," Mai snapped back before sighing. "Let's just not talk about it anymore tonight. Please?"

Bulma, remembering Mai's threat from the night of the dance, decided to run interference. Mai was volatile whenever it came to someone pressing the issue of child services. It made her wonder how much power this Zarbon really had. Mai and his brother were convinced of it, but Bulma wasn't so sure. After all, child services would have believed the doctor over the abuser. There had to be something more that Zarbon had done that either Mai didn't know or wasn't telling. "How about this? Mai, why don't I give you Juu's number? Just in case you change your mind."

In all honesty, Mai didn't want to, but the subject wouldn't be dropped unless she went along with something. If she did this, Trunks would likely back down. He was easy to placate. She was uncertain about Vegeta, what he would do with the information of her abuse. He seemed to be studying her, but he said nothing more than what he had earlier. He seemed like a hard puzzle to solve, although he leaned back in his chair and the lecture he had been giving her was over. That was when the waiter decided to return with glasses of water for all of them.

"Now, what would you like to drink?" the man asked, his accent think.

As everyone gave their orders, the kids looking in their menus and sounding out the dishes listed in Italian, Bulma and Vegeta exchanged glances. It was almost like they were having a secret conversation, Bulma conveying her concern and Vegeta conveying that they'd overcome. She believed it, for Mai wasn't alone anymore. Everything was out in the open. Over time, Bulma was positive that Mai would open up, and she had the feeling it would happen sooner rather than later.

They just needed to have faith.


	17. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

Monday begrudgingly came along, and Trunks found himself saying goodbye at school. When the group tried to go up to them, Goten wrangled them away to give Trunks a moment alone with her. Mai took a deep breath before sighing. "Well, this is it, I guess," she breathed out disdainfully. "I…thank you for everything."

"Mai," Trunks murmured softly, his voice veiled with concern. It really touched her, her heart fluttering as he took her hand. "Please don't go back."

She couldn't do that, as much as she wanted to stay with Trunks. Mai knew she had to be smart about everything.

He knew it, too.

"Trunks, we've been over this," Mai sighed. I'll keep you posted on everything."

"You still need help with your bandages," her friend reminded her.

Mai smiled sadly and rested her hand against Trunks's cheek. Her affectionate gesture startled the boy. Mai hardly ever made the first move, even since he had kissed her the other night. Trunks had spent the last couple of days taking her hand, embracing her, holding her…

Loving her.

Trunks had accepted it by this point. There was no other way to describe the sensation. He knew he was young and that his feelings developed super quickly, but that didn't matter when his heart skipped a beat at her touch. "Don't worry so much," she said quietly. Her eyes then lit up with mirth, and Trunks was prepared for her teasing, something she did when she grew uncomfortable. "It's unbecoming of a man to look like that."

"Mai," Trunks replied sternly.

Mai's confident demeanor deflated instantly, her mouth gaping slightly. She sighed again. "I'll be okay, Trunks," she tried to soothe him. "I've dealt with worse."

"You shouldn't have to," Trunks snapped bitterly. "You don't deserve this. You deserve to be somewhere safe where you feel cared for and loved. We could be that for you."

Whether it was to illustrate his point or not, Trunks embraced Mai, his hand moving to cup her cheek. He took her by surprise guiding her to him, kissing her so gently yet desperately. It took Mai's breath away.

He pulled away ever so quickly but left his hand over her cheek stroking her with his thumb. "Please," he whispered. "Come back to me safely." In his mind, he silently added, _I need you in my life._

Mai was overcome by the intensity of his words, especially after he just kissed her in the middle of their school hallway with witnesses. Was he aware of the claim he had just made? "Trunks…" The lavender-haired teen offered her a bittersweet smile. Mai's eyes softened. "The second I can, I will text you. I promise."

That made Trunks panic again for he remembered her four AM text the night of the dance. "I don't care how late it is. I will be awake."

Mai nodded and then pulled away from Trunks. She glanced at him once more before she left the group. At that moment, Goten and Gohan walked up to him with Valese and Videl in tow. "What was that all about?" Gohan asked in what Trunks could only describe as his protective, older brother voice.

Trunks was about to say that Mai just had a lot going on when Paigen walked up to the group. "Isn't it obvious?" she said confidently. "Trunks just proved all the rumors right. They're sleeping together."

Trunks narrowed his eyes at the girl but said nothing. He didn't need to explain himself to her. Besides, he and Mai both accepted the circulating rumors and weren't bothered by them. They knew what their friendship was, and if they became more it wouldn't matter what other people thought.

"No one cares what you think, Paigen," Videl spoke up. "Just lay off."

"Oh? A lot of people care about the things I have to say, right Valese?"

Goten fumed, nearly walking forward, but Valese and Gohan both held him back. "It looks like Goten does, too. I can make things very good or very bad for any of you. It just depends on what mood I'm in."

"You bitch," Goten growled darkly.

"Goten," Valese soothed. "I'm okay. Don't worry about it. Let's just go."

Goten started to relax, but Paigen refused to give. "Actually, Goten is coming with me to work on our project. He knows what will happen if he doesn't. And let's make it more interesting. I think Ms. Snake would be very interested in knowing that Trunks snuck into the girl's locker room before gym for a quickie."

At that, Trunks appeared startled. It wasn't that her claim was true, but he couldn't explain it away either. He had gone into the girl's locker room before gym, but only because Mai had been struggling to get dressed. At home, his mother had been helping Mai with that considering her torso still hurt. They had spent so much time trying to convince Mai to go to the hospital to get a chest x-ray in case she really had had a broken rib or two, but she refused and was only now just starting to ask them for help.

Because they were at school, his mother couldn't help her, and she couldn't let anyone else know about her troubles, so it fell on Trunks. She texted him when the locker room was empty asking him to help her change, and he couldn't deny her. He had looked around to make sure no one was around or following him, but apparently he hadn't done a good enough job. Where was Paigen hiding all the time?

Mai never really was forced to change before, always wearing loose-fitting pants and her sweatshirt. Normally, that was acceptable attire, but this new coach, Piccolo, had demanded she change for his class because what she wore was too constricting. She had been panicked, but she knew the bruises on her arms had healed so it would be okay for her to change, but she knew she still needed help.

Trunks had gone in and simply helped her dress and undress, looking anywhere but at her out of respect. He would never do what Paigen was claiming he did, but Ms. Snake had it out for him and Goten for whatever reason, and he doubted she'd listen to his side. Besides, he would never betray Mai's trust like that.

Unfortunately, Goten knew all about what happened and was becoming increasingly infuriated at Paigen trying to force him to spend time with her by threatening his friends. He had asked Trunks what kept him, and his friend admitted that Mai couldn't change on her own. Goten was becoming increasingly defensive, now, because he knew Paigen's claim could hurt Trunks. The stuff with Valese's family, where she didn't really want to think about it at school, she didn't care about what other people had to say. Trunks, likewise, wouldn't care what was being said about him, but if Paigen went to their guidance counselor with that claim, he could be in real trouble, expulsion trouble. He couldn't let that happen to his best friend.

He muttered a curse and pulled away from Valese, shaking Gohan off his other shoulder. "Let's go," he growled angrily.

Trunks eyes widened and got in his friend's way. "Goten, it's fine. I can fight my own battles."

His friend's demeanor eased, but he appeared determined. "You're already fighting Mai's battles. I'm fine. It's an annoyance, but I can deal with it."

"See, being partners isn't so bad," Paigen chimed.

Even though Goten was going to play along with this girl, he refused to let her get the last word on this. He wouldn't let her have victory. "I wasn't talking about us being partners. You're the 'it' in question."

Goten started to walk off towards the library with Paigen angrily glaring at his back as she harrumphed and followed him. Trunks, Valese, and Gohan exchanged worried glances, Videl between the three of them thoroughly confused. Just then, the warning bell rang signaling that anyone left in the school needed to get to their buses or wait for the late bus which wouldn't leave for another couple of hours. The four of them had to leave, all separating and leaving each other full of unanswered questions and concerns.

* * *

Mai returned home just as Zarbon returned, the two meeting at the front door. Both appeared indifferent, though as Mai went to unlock the door she could feel his eyes on her. Heart beating rapidly against her own chest, she turned the key and stepped inside. Zarbon trailed behind her making her feel even more on edge. Relief could not even begin to describe how she felt when he sat down at the dining room table. Him watching her was still unnerving, but at least he wasn't immediately picking a fight.

"How was school?"

Mai was taken aback when he asked his question. Zarbon rarely made small talk with her, and his voice actually sounded soft and apologetic. The times where he felt apologetic were few and far between, but it usually lasted a short time until something set him off again. "It was fine."

"Getting around okay?" He was fishing for information, to see if anyone was suspicious.

"Yeah, it's been okay," she lied. It was only okay because of Trunks and his mother.

"And the project with 'Lavender?'"

Well, there was no sense in lying to him anymore. Zarbon had seen Trunks, and he already figured out that he was her friend. Before he left, he threatened her about lying, so she wasn't going to ruin the momentary peace by trying. "His name is Trunks, and yeah, it's going okay. We still have some work to do, though."

He wasn't pleased by that, evident by the frown, but he didn't ask anymore and dropped it. After his pause, he spoke up again with the best news Mai thought she'd ever hear. "In a couple of weeks, there will be a conference for all the local corporations. It'll last a week, so you're on your own."

"Okay," Mai agreed, sounding more accepting as she tempered her excitement down. To be honest, it meant she'd be able to be with Trunks the entire time. Provided Zarbon's mood didn't change in the next couple of weeks, which was a stretch, Mai could finally heal and she and Trunks could do other things than worry about her physical health.

She got started on dinner since they were both there so she wouldn't have to t worry about it later. Zarbon didn't leave, just picking up the paper to read. It felt very reminiscent of times when she was younger and her mother was still with them, but the atmosphere was very heavy and tense. Mai realized in that moment just how much the man missed her mother.

It didn't change the fact that he was a monster.

Mai finished the meal, just pasta with butter sauce, before taking her own dish and rushing to retreat to her room. "Mai," Zarbon stopped her. The girl tensed, but she looked over to her guardian with a forced neutral expression. "You look like her."

Mai breathed out and shook her head in disbelief. She had already suspected that that was part of the reason Zarbon acted the way she did, but verbal confirmation made her stomach roil. The other part of it, she knew was revenge. The doctors had given her mother a time limit, but she could have lived longer if she stayed hooked up to machines in a hospital. Mai remembered hearing her mother and Zarbon fight over it many times. Her mother was a free spirit, and being trapped in a bed with nowhere to go, staring out the window as life passed her by, that wasn't something her mother could do. Besides, she had never wanted Mai to remember her sick and dying in bed. She wanted to make memories with her daughter that she could have as she got older. Where Mai was still mourning and upset over her mother's death, she at least could think of her fondly, making the best out of life instead of dying and wasting away.

She walked out on him, not caring if it did piss him off, for now she just wanted to be away from him and alone. Well, for the most part. She wanted to text Trunks to let him know it was so far so good. Besides, she couldn't stop thinking about that kiss, what it meant for them. It was not the first time he kissed her, and it was so full of emotion that Mai could hardly make sense of it. She knew he liked her, and she knew she liked him, but their lives were already so complicated. Did his gestures really mean he wanted a relationship or was it just him being a gentleman comforting her and getting a little carried away?

What were they now?

* * *

Trunks was very happy for a distraction after school. Vegeta had called him telling him that all of the paperwork for his internship had been taken care of. He could start that day. He quickly visited his mom's office to leave his schoolbag with her. Vegeta expected this and had gone to Bulma's office a little earlier taking his ten minute break. When Trunks entered, he caught his new boss kissing his mother. The couple noticed him and pulled apart in slight embarrassment, but Trunks just grinned at the two.

"I'm ready to work," he said energetically.

Vegeta smirked. "Good attitude." He looked to Bulma once more, rubbing his hand down the length of her arm. "Back on the clock, now. Until tonight."

"What's tonight?" Trunks asked.

"Goku recommended this bar to me, so we're going out tonight," Bulma explained. "This one's twenty-one and over only. Sorry, kid."

"It's fine," Trunks replied with a smile. "I have homework to do anyway. Mai and I are working on this math packet."

Bulma's expression became more compassionate. "How was she before she left school?"

Trunks looked over to Vegeta. He knew his mother confided in the man, but he was still shocked that she was asking in front of him and that he didn't seem to be bothered about them taking more time to discuss it. He released a heavy sigh, his true mood shining through. "She seemed fine," he answered. "She acts like this is normal."

"It is for her," Vegeta interjected. "Having a friend in her life is what is abnormal and confusing to her. This has been her life. Over time, it will change. You'll become her constant."

The teenager perked up. "You really think so?"

Vegeta answered with a curt nod and crossed his arms. "Now, let's get to work. We have a lot of ground to cover."

Bulma felt her heart sore when she saw her son's face light up. Vegeta led him out of the office, the two walking side by side as Vegeta began to show him around the building. Despite it being a work setting, Bulma was thrilled that Vegeta and Trunks were spending quality time together. What was even better was that Vegeta actually _wanted_ to get to know her son.

In the meantime, Bulma received a text from Launch asking if they could talk. The woman sighed, but set her phone aside. She refused to let her stepmother ruin her good mood. Instead, she got back to work, developing a new prototype. It wasn't something the company really needed to make and sell, nor would it be in high demand, but it was an idea that struck her, and she had figured out all of the math. With the reemergence of planetary exploration, a gravity simulator would could potentially be desired by scientists working on newer crafts. She intended to bring up her idea to Vegeta before their next meeting.

* * *

Trunks job was fairly simple. Vegeta had shown him around and then set him up at a large desk outside his office. As an assistant, Trunks had been expecting to be sent on errands like getting coffee and filing, but he soon realized he had other responsibilities that Vegeta was entrusting him with. As expected, he had to greet people or send them away depending on if they had appointments, but he was also responsible for managing Vegeta's schedule and answering phone calls. The only special instruction Vegeta gave him was if someone called from Cold Enterprises to set up an appointment. He wanted Trunks to lie and say his schedule was booked solid for months. Trunks didn't understand why, but he was fine with the order.

He spent the afternoon talking with customers requiring help whom he redirected to the customer service lines of the proper department. He set up a couple of appointments with stockholders and other businessmen who wanted to see Vegeta before the conference two weeks away. Already on his first day, Trunks had the opportunity to practice Vegeta's order.

"Good afternoon, Ouji Corporation," Trunks recited. "This is Trunks Hamasaki speaking. How may I direct your call?"

" _This is Frieza Cold of Cold Enterprises, Mr. Hamasaki,"_ a droning voice spoke. _"I take it that you are Mr. Kurobushi's new secretary?"_

"I am Mr. Kurobushi's assistant, yes," Trunks replied. "What can I do for you today, Mr. Cold?"

Vegeta had heard Trunks considering he left his door open. He was instantly standing there leaning against the post observing Trunks unbeknownst to the teenager. Trunks typed away on the computer after saying, "Just let me pull up his schedule." After a few moments of looking, he said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Cold, but Mr. Kurobushi has no appointments available for the next few months."

Vegeta knew this cutthroat businessman and how he operated. The Cold heir had attempted to make deals with him back when he owned his own company. Frieza Cold was notorious in the business world for making one-sided deals that could run a company into the ground if he so chose with loopholes even a trained lawyer could miss. Vegeta never spoke with the man, even when he tried to approach him at conferences. He was not a stupid man and he didn't trust Frieza. He could clearly prosper on his own without him, and he refused to let any company he managed, even his father's company, fall into that bastard's hands.

"I understand your frustration," Trunks attempted to pacify without losing his cool even for a moment, "but Mr. Kurobushi's time is also valuable. May I suggest calling back in a couple of months?"

" _I find it hard to believe that he has no availability,"_ Frieza argued, his voice becoming increasingly more agitated. _"Can I be contacted if he has a cancellation?"_

Trunks grinned slightly and noticed Vegeta standing in the doorway. "Of course. Just leave me your contact information, and you will be the first one notified if Mr. Kurobushi has a cancellation."

He took down Frieza's name and number on a post-it and set the pen aside. "Thank you. I will keep this on my desk, and if there is a cancellation I will call. I hope that you have a nice rest of the day."

With that, Trunks hung up the phone and released a sigh of relief. "Man, he's persistent," he said tossing the number in the trash. "Do you want to know something? He just spent ten minutes complaining about how his calls are usually unanswered and that the last assistant you had over a month ago said the same thing as if that would make my answer change."

Vegeta snickered and walked over to the desk. "Yes, he is very much like that. When it became public knowledge that I took over here, he began his slew of incessant phone calls."

"Why don't you ever meet with him?" Trunks questioned. "Maybe then he'd leave you alone."

"He is not a good man, Trunks," Vegeta told him. "I've heard of companies he had dealings with falling and the drop of a hat, very good, family owned companies that had flourished for so long. He even tried to sink he teeth into Capsule Corporation back then as well, but they refused to give him an in. He never contacted Ouji Corp. before according to Nappa, not until I arrived. I had denied him many times at my last company."

"Wow, so he's really persistent," Trunks murmured, eye wide. "Well, don't worry. When he calls back, I'll think up something else to mislead him so he doesn't think you're trying to avoid him."

"Keep using this strategy," Vegeta ordered. "Frieza knows I'm avoiding him. It's hard to hide when I've run into him at conferences and went out of my way to avoid him. Sometimes I make arrangements to meet with other business owners to piss him off."

Trunks couldn't help but laugh at that. "That's diabolical," he joked. "Then why does he keep bothering knowing he's only going to infuriate himself further."

Vegeta shrugged. "He's probably waiting to see if there's anything he could hold over my head, but there's really nothing. It's not really a secret anymore that I'm the heir of this corporation. Someone leaked that out a while back when I started. Even your mother figured that out."

Trunks nodded, knowing the feeling. If people didn't let what other people say or thought bother them, then there was never anything that can be held against them. Interrupted from his thoughts, Vegeta put a typed up document on Trunks's desk. The boy's blue eyes met coal in confusion. "This is a report that was submitted from one of the lower floors," he explained. "By the end of the day, have it read and review it for any mistakes and possible discrepancies."

That clearly surprised the teen, as he was speechless for a moment before stuttering. "B-But, I'm not a businessman, Vegeta. I probably won't understand any of this."

"That's fine," the CEO replied. "I just want to see how you fare with it is all. Think of it as a learning exercise."

Trunks was still a little skeptical, but he liked the idea of the challenge and grinned. "Okay, then. I'll bring it in when I'm finished."

Vegeta nodded and went back into his office to finish off some last minute data analyses before it was time to leave. He figured the report would keep Trunks occupied for the rest of the afternoon. Now that it was the end of the day, he most likely wouldn't receive any phone calls. This test was a way to keep the kid from becoming bored.

If he were a normal assistant, Vegeta would never do something like this. He wasn't secretive about his company's practices, but he preferred to handle everything himself. To be honest, he had been reading over the report and noticed a ton of spelling errors, and the explanations of the product the person was reviewing were very bland and sparse. Out of boredom, Vegeta began thinking of how when he was Trunks's age his father had him reviewing documents like this, and Vegeta could pull out every error.

He knew Trunks would most likely never be as involved in the business world as he was, but the skillset would be needed in any field, including the sciences, so it was perfect practice for the teenager. Plus, where Vegeta hated the business world, he did wish to impart wisdom on someone else. It wasn't like he had a child of his own to teach and guide, and he was highly aware that he was becoming much closer to Bulma and her son. It seemed like a good idea to give him a little test to see what skills he possessed. Vegeta wouldn't groom Trunks to be a businessman during this internship, but he would teach him to be successful.

Trunks didn't seem to mind, anyway.

"Um, Vegeta…?"

Vegeta's attention snapped to the doorway and saw a disgruntled teenager. He smirked slightly. "Yes?"

"This report…who wrote it?"

He leaned back in his chair. "A new hire, don't worry, not from where your mother worked before. His job is to do research on our products and competitor's products and to give a detailed analysis on them so that we can see what needs to be improved and maybe get some ideas on how to outshine those were compete with."

"Well," Trunks murmured. "Is…is it okay that I rewrote it and did the research myself?"

Amusement left Vegeta, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Rewrote it?" His voice did not sound angry, more like perplexed.

Trunks sighed. "Sorry, but I get annoyed when I have to read something like that with so many mistakes, and I couldn't even tell what he was writing about, so I looked up the product mentioned in the title and found some information myself. I tried to make it more concise and clean."

"You didn't have to do that," Vegeta marveled, though his narrowed eyes remained on Trunks. For a moment, Trunks thought he had done something wrong. "May I read it?"

"Oh, sure," Trunks stated leaving the room to print and retrieve a copy of what he had just written. He returned to the office, handing Vegeta the document, and the CEO read through it quietly. The irritated expression on his face never left, even when he got to the end. He sighed as he placed the paper down on his desk. He saw the look of worry plastered all over the teenager's face. Apparently, like his mother, he wore his emotions on his sleeve.

"You did very well for your first day and went above and beyond on this task," he assured the boy. "Relax. I'm not angry at you."

Trunks breathed out a sigh. He hadn't realized that he had been holding his breath at all. "For a moment, I couldn't tell. Is everything okay?"

"Yes," Vegeta replied. "Don't worry about it. Thank you for doing this. It actually helps a lot. Your mother's shift is about to end, and I will be leaving shortly after I take care of something. You're free to go."

Trunks smiled at Vegeta and nodded. "I guess I'll see you later? Before you and mom leave, I mean."

"Of course."

Trunks left the room, Vegeta watching his form retreat. He could hear the boy shuffling before there was no sound. At that moment, Vegeta picked up the phone and dialed Raditz's number. _"Yeah, boss?"_

"Tell Paragus to get his ass into my office," Vegeta demanded. "He and I need to discuss his new hire. This can't wait."

" _Uh, all right then. He might have already left."_

"I don't want to hear it. He is to be in my office in five minutes, got it?"

He slammed the phone back down hanging up on his friend. In the last meeting, he had demanded Vegeta let him take over the new hires. The only reason Vegeta yielded was because Paragus made the board take a vote. A lot of the old farts who worked for his father, even Nappa surprisingly, had voted against Vegeta getting his hands on any new hires. They had been irritated that he had fired so many people to bring in young, newer blood, as Paragus claimed. Even if the company was prospering, the older employees didn't care.

So Paragus was put in charge of hiring anyone who had anything to do with the company other than assistants and customer service agents. Vegeta was still permitted to do what he wanted there. The tradeoff was that Paragus was not allowed to fire anyone or have access to their private details. That all continued to go to Vegeta. Vegeta had made that very clear, for he knew that Paragus had it out for Bulma. He was slightly concerned at what would have happened if Paragus had the power to terminate her or get rid of her position altogether.

Still, the quality of the people Paragus was hiring was faulty, and Vegeta knew why. It was no secret that Paragus has been his father's ass kisser. He had that gleam for power in his eyes, and he was another person Vegeta could not trust. But he was respected in the company and with the board, so Vegeta could not simply fire him as he wanted. Paragus had most likely hoped that he would one day become CEO of his father's company, and Vegeta was in the way of that. Once he had arrived, he had stripped the company of everything he found faulty, including the staff. There were still many that sided with Paragus, but Vegeta was slowly getting a new flow of employees who he intended to treat right.

With the company flourishing, and Vegeta being at the helm, his popularity internally and with the public was booming. Paragus would eventually lose favor if the company kept succeeding. So, given the task of hiring, Paragus had most likely hired the most unqualified person for each position so that the company would fail from the ground up. To be honest, he hadn't read further into the original document. The beginning was just boring, but now he was comparing it to Trunks's work. It was clear that the person hadn't even tried, and even put in some fabricated information.

Paragus entered Vegeta's office, a smug smirk on his face. "Mr. Kurobushi."

"What's your game, Paragus?" Vegeta asked abruptly making the man grin even more.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Paragus remarked.

Vegeta slammed the original report down on his desk and shoved it towards the man. When Paragus picked it up, Vegeta crossed his arms and waited as the old man's eyes roved over the contents. The old man's lips quirked upward, but shifted back to a neutral grin. "I don't see what Derikson's work has to do with me. He's still training."

"He's not qualified," Vegeta corrected. "Go down to records and get his file this second and allow me to review his resume. Then I want all the other resumes of the people you interviewed for the position so that I can start looking for a replacement."

"You're no longer in charge of hiring individuals for the company unless it's for customer service or hiring assistants," Paragus chuckled. "You can see his records and fire him, but I still have control on who gets into this place."

Vegeta's fists clenched and he stood up, his arms at his side. "I'm not one for threats, Paragus, but when my company is at stake, I have to play hardball. Your son is currently working down in records, correct?"

Paragus visibly reacted, and Vegeta could tell he hit a nerve. "I reviewed the files of every single person that worked at this company before I took over, and I kept on those that did a good job and were of no consequence to the company. Your son was one of them, but I still reviewed his case. Does your son know that he got this job out of sheer nepotism? There's no resume, no application, no record. My father just allowed him to work here, gave him the documents to fill out for human resources and tax purposes, but he knew next to nothing about him save that he was your son. It was a favor to you. My father didn't do favors, not even for ass kissers like you. How much did you pay him?"

"Mr. Kurobushi, that is a baseless accusation and you know-"

"How much, Paragus?" Vegeta growled forcefully. "Do not insult my intelligence. I knew my father better than anyone else. You must have done something drastic to get him to let your son in with no credentials."

Paragus didn't answer Vegeta, but his silence was considered an answer, especially when Paragus picked up Vegeta's phone and called down to records to have his son, Broly, send up the records for his new hire and all the others he had interviewed. When he hung up the phone, Vegeta smirked. "Now, I believe we have an understanding. Don't try to interfere with this company again, or I swear you'll regret it."

"Are you threatening me?" Paragus asked, flabbergasted. It was one thing to threaten to tell his son the details of his hiring that were unconfirmed rumors, but to flat out threaten him.

"It's no threat," Vegeta countered. "It's a promise. I don't take kindly to backstabbers, especially in the corporate world. My patience with you is wearing thin, so it's time we come up with our own agreement. I won't fire you, and your son will always have his position in records regardless of your actions. This isn't an exchange, but this is how things will work in the future. You may still be in charge of hiring, but I am allowed to give my input, and I will review all applications and resumes and give you a final selection. From there, you can make your decision, but I will give the person a test and if they can pass it, they're welcome in the company. Understood?"

"Fine. Anything else?"

"Yes, leave Bulma alone," Vegeta ordered. "Raditz told me you've been going out of your way to harass her at her office. We're not a high school, Paragus. We're a corporation. Act like a professional."

"Don't be a hypocrite," Paragus retorted, "or is it proper for you to be dating an employee."

"In case you've forgotten, my mother was my father's first assistant before they got married," Vegeta remarked. "I bet you didn't have a problem with that. I keep my personal life and business endeavors separate. As long as she does her job and does it well there is nothing else to be said. Our relationship doesn't interfere with the good of the company."

"Whatever," Paragus scoffed. "Look, you may have this small victory, but I swear to you this company will one day be mine. I have the seniority and the support. You're this come out of nowhere kid who just wanted to make a name for himself using his father's legacy."

"You think I wanted this?" Vegeta asked, stupefied before he sneered. "You know nothing about me or my life, and it will continue to stay that way. You can think what you want, but all I want is to make sure this company gets out of the hole it was dug into by you people while my father was ill."

"And what would you know of that? You weren't even around when your father was sick. You just want his fortune. You didn't give a damn about him."

"Get the fuck out of my office," Vegeta snarled. His patience had officially run out. "Where the fuck do you get off telling me how I felt about my father? You know nothing, understand me. You're lucky you have backers in this company, because if you didn't, your ass would be out of a job. You crossed a line."

Paragus felt himself shiver, and he realized that speaking of Vegeta's father had acted as a trigger. Where he wanted to find the CEO's weakness, he hoped it would be something that would give him control over him. Mentioning his father brought out Vegeta's anger and fight, and that was not something Paragus wanted. "I'll leave. Broly should have the information up to you. I'll take care of firing Derikson, and I'll await your selection of applicants tomorrow."

Vegeta watched the man leave, his body twitching in rage. How dare that man say Vegeta didn't care about his father? He had grown to hate his father, and when his father contacted him he told him off, but that didn't mean he didn't care. He had respected his father when he was a young boy, before his teenaged years. His father spent a lot of time at the office, but he had always made it to Vegeta's school events until middle and high school when he became busier. Vegeta had respected his father, loved him even growing up, and he felt horribly betrayed when his father became harsher with him. His death hit Vegeta harder than he cared to admit, but he was able to bury it down for the most part. He put all his effort into facing his past demons and salvaging the company, though the company had been faltering and in shambles when he arrived, so that took priority. He put his self-reflection on the backburner, and in the meantime met a wonderful woman and her equally amazing son. To think that a high school kid with no business experience actually took the initiative to research and write a report fairly quickly.

He refused to let Paragus and his plotting and malicious words ruin his day. He had a date with Bulma to look forward to that night. It wasn't their first date, but it sort of felt like that. Both of them had agreed in her office that their dates always took a very heavy turn due to their conversations. They both had a lot on their plate, so it was expected, but tonight they were only going to have fun. They wouldn't talk about their family drama, and Bulma was feeling better now that she knew Mai was considering filing for dependency. They had made this attempt before and failed, but both of them were very set on meeting that expectation. Their agreement had even turned into a game, a challenge, that any time either of them brought up something serious or contemplative, they would take a shot. Vegeta agreed to her terms.

Eventually, one of the secretaries brought up the documents Broly had gathered for him. He thanked the employee and sent him off for the day before he shoved the papers into his top desk drawer. He would worry about the selection tomorrow. Tonight, he was going to push all his cares aside and focus on the woman. That seemed like a better use of his time.

* * *

Paragus was angry, infuriated, mainly because Vegeta had seen right through his plan. If he wanted Ouji Corp., he had to figure out another way to get that. Maybe his investigation on Bulma would yield better results. That way, he could maybe use her as a way to convince the board of Vegeta's poor judgement. The woman was clearly hiding something. She had to be.

He had painstakingly gone through her resume and forms and learned that she had claimed one child, but she claimed single status and was now dating the CEO. If that didn't look bad enough, she put no reference for company she had worked for over fifteen years. Wouldn't anyone want someone they worked for that long to act as a reference on their behalf?

Because of this discrepancy, Paragus looked up the appliance company and scheduled to meet with the manager. He agreed to meet Paragus in a neutral location, the restaurant where the Ouji Corp. employee was currently waiting. The man finally arrived and took a seat. "So, you must be Paragus," he figured. "You wanted to know about one of my former employees?"

"Yes," Paragus stated. "I wanted to know about a woman named Bulma Hamasaki. She recently started working at Ouji Corporation."

The man seemed surprised, but then crossed his arms and scoffed. "Feh, you mean my father's charity case?"

"Charity case?"

The appliance manager nodded. "I inherited the company from my father. He hired her years ago, fresh out of graduate school. She's nothing special, but my father probably kept her around because of her sob story. Single mother and all that jazz. My father was always one for a good sob story."

"Single mother, you say?" Paragus pressed, though he had already gathered that. "Divorced?"

The man laughed derisively. "Try never married. Her tax information never changed, and I never saw her with anyone at company functions. She must have slept around and wound up pregnant. That's what I think, anyway. The harlot probably doesn't even know who the father is."

Now, that was definitely something interesting. If Paragus could believe this man, which he did fully, then it made sense of her tax forms. It also gave incentive for the woman to be trying to get into Vegeta's bed. He was the company's CEO and very wealthy. Like most women would be, she was probably in it for the money to support her bastard son.

His investigation was coming together nicely.

"Thank you for your time," Paragus stated as he got up from the table. The man nodded and the two went their separate ways. Paragus knew he still needed to get some solid proof that Bulma was truly after the company's money for the board to believe him, but this was a good start in his search. He was truly intent on exposing the bitch for who she really was.

* * *

Vegeta arrived at Bulma's apartment shortly after his shift had ended. He knocked on the door, and Bulma instantly opened it. She looked ready to go, smiling at him as she let him inside. He looked around and saw boxes downstairs. "Moving?"

The woman laughed. "No, not me. My brother was staying with us, but a friend of his wanted him to move in, so he was already planning on it, but with everything going on with Mai he decided to get an early start on it."

"Will I ever meet this elusive brother of yours?" Vegeta teased lightly.

"Yeah, definitely," Bulma snickered, "but not today. He's over at his friend's now with one load of boxes."

Vegeta looked around and saw plenty more boxes. "He must have lived here a long time."

"Not quite," Bulma replied. "He did back when he was in college. I had hoped he'd go to school here so we could have more time to bond. I missed out on so much of his life. Him being here was such a blessing. There were nights after Trunks was born, and sometimes since Tarble was up late he'd sometimes take over and help me out so that I could sleep."

The flame-haired man's expression softened as he thought about how difficult it must have been for this woman to do all of it alone, even though it had been her choice. He was always amazed by her, and just hearing some of her stories that seemed so normal to her were so remarkable to him. "It must have been difficult."

"Some days," Bulma admitted, "but I was okay. Postpartum really hit me hard though. Goku would come over and drag me and the baby out of the house to make sure I was staying active. He was really worried for a while, but then my hormones leveled out and all that. It must have hit me so hard because of our family's condition."

"Ah, we never did talk about that," Vegeta pondered. "What exactly was the condition?"

"Eh, nope, sorry," Bulma teased. "No serious, serious discussions tonight, remember? I already slightly broke that rule."

"Isn't that for on the date," Vegeta countered, smirking. "I'm curious. We aren't there yet, so why don't you just tell me?"

"Fine," Bulma replied lightly. "It's not really a big deal anymore, anyway. Basically, the women in our family have a condition where we produce too much estrogen and it's pretty constant. Once we hit menopause age, there's the chance of producing so much that it leads to endometrial hyperplasia, or if left alone, a very high chance of cancer. My mother had the endometrial hyperplasia, which is basically one step away from cancer, and both my grandmother and aunt had uterine cancer. It was recommended that the rest of the women in the family have their kids by age thirty-five. I always had wanted kids, so I knew by age thirty, if I hadn't met the right man, then I'd do it alone. I waited, hoping to have more kids, but the condition eventually affected me too, and I had to get a total hysterectomy to make sure I didn't have any complications."

"Wow," Vegeta breathed out, not having expected any of that, nor the fact that the woman had had to make such a choice for the sake of her health and life.

"I hope that doesn't weird you out, or bother you that I can't have kids anymore," Bulma sighed. "I didn't tell what I'm about to tell you to Trunks and I didn't tell you before because it never amounted to anything. I told you about my official boyfriends, but there was this one guy who used to work at the appliance store, and he expressed interest in me, but he wanted to know Trunks's story, so I told him and it weirded him out so much that he decided to just remain a friend before he left for a better job. That's part of the reason I didn't tell you right away when you asked about Trunks's father."

"Understood," Vegeta accepted, "and no, it doesn't bother me. I'm glad you're okay. That's all that matters."

Bulma smiled, happy with his answer. She took his hand in hers, and he squeezed it a soft grin alighting his features. Trunks chose that moment to come downstairs, but he saw Vegeta and his mother so he stayed quiet and just watched from off to the side as Vegeta leaned down slightly to kiss his mother. It was such a picturesque moment, and the teenager didn't want to interrupt it, so he quietly made his way back upstairs to finish moving the clothes Mai had bought into his uncle's old room. It was bittersweet for the teenager, because he would miss his uncle being there and staying with them, but he was thankful he could do something for Mai, even if it was a small gesture.

Back downstairs, Vegeta pulled away and Bulma breathed out a laugh. "Alright, no serious stuff…starting now."

Her boyfriend chuckled and nodded as he released her so she could grab her jacket to cover her blue dress and her purse. "Trunks, come down here for a second."

Trunks heard his mother call and swiftly made his way down the stairs. His eyes landed on Vegeta as he greeted the man. "Hey."

Vegeta nodded in acknowledgement as the woman started going over the rules of staying home with Trunks, though the teenager smiled knowingly. Vegeta was sure the teen had heard the speech many times before. "And if there's an emergency, you call me or your uncle or-"

"Or grandma or Uncle Goku. Yeah, mom, I got it," he teased. "Just go have fun. I'll be fine. Not much that can happen while I'm sitting in the living room watching T.V. and doing homework."

"Yeah, you say that," Bulma huffed. "I just want to-"

"Make sure I'm okay," Trunks finished sincerely. "I know. I will be. Everything'll be fine. Go."

Bulma grinned and gave her son a hug before ruffling his hair. "Alright, stay out of trouble. No prank phone calling people again."

Trunks rolled his eyes, mirth lighting them before he watched the couple leave and then moved to living room so he could finish his homework with background noise. He looked at his phone. Mai had texted him at work saying that she was doing okay and that Zarbon seemed to be in what she called an "apologetic mood." It didn't make Trunks feel any better that she was back there, but at least he had known she was safe. He had texted her that that was good and he was starting at Vegeta's company. The next day, his practice was cancelled, thankfully, since they didn't have a game that Friday, so he was going to go in again. He didn't text her much while he was at work, but now that he had been home, he was able to converse with her.

After he and Tarble packed up his room, the two of them had been texting back and forth the same way they spoke the first time she stayed over, about everything and nothing. Now that he knew more about her home life, she was more apt to giving her information about herself, her likes and dislikes, and Trunks filed away in his mind that Mai loved to draw and color. It relaxed her, she said. It was what she was doing after she finished reading the story from her English class.

Eventually, they were running out of topics to chat about, so they started talking about nothing until Mai asked him something he didn't know if he was ready to answer. **So, about that kiss today at school…what was that about?**

Trunks honestly couldn't tell her. He had just allowed his body to react to his emotions. He was so torn up inside that the woman he loved was walking into her possible death. Each time she got hurt like that, it was a possibility. Trunks had desperately wanted to keep her with him, or at least go with her, but neither were suitable options to her, and his frustration and fear skyrocketed. He was so afraid to let her go, so he just embraced her instead and kissed her trying to convey the devastation he was feeling while silently letting her know that he cared about her and would do anything for her. **Are you mad?** he asked, sidestepping her question.

 **No…just confused,** Mai answered. He could honestly relate. **You…you know people will be talking about it.**

 **Let them talk. I don't mind. I can think of worse things being said about me other than the fact that I kissed a beautiful girl in the hallway.**

Mai blushed, but she smiled, Trunks had a point. Still, she wanted an answer, and she could tell he was dancing around the topic. **Trunks, what are we?**

It took a moment before she got a reply, but then she understood why. Trunks sent a pretty long message, and he had clearly put in a lot of thought to this. **We are whatever you want us to be,** he assured her. **It's no secret that I like you, Mai, but I always wanted to first and foremost be your friend. I promise you, I never had an agenda, and I didn't expect for my feelings to grow so quickly. I'd be ecstatic if you agreed to be my girlfriend, but if it's too much for you right now with everything going on, I can back off. I care about you, and that's not going to change even if you reject me. If you are interested, but it's still a lot, then we can move slow. I was considering asking you out on a date once I got paid from the job anyway. I don't want you to feel pressured.**

 **I don't,** Mai replied, overwhelmed by how considerate Trunks was being towards her. It was much different than any other guy she had met. They all tried to get with her because of the rumors from her old school, but she put on the front where she had acted better than them so that they'd back off. Kuriza was the only one who continued to pursue her despite her rejection. Thankfully, he never tried anything with her save those creepy moments where he'd glide his hand up her leg secretly much like he had done the other day. She shivered at the thought in disgust, but she returned her attention to Trunks and his proposition. **I'd like to go out with you,** she told him. **Everything is just so complicated right now, but I'm not closed off to the idea. You're the only one I feel safe with, and I don't want to overcomplicate things further, not right now. Can we just be what we are without putting a label on it?**

 **Of course, whatever you want,** Trunks agreed. **I'll let you set the pace then, okay. You just let me know when you're ready. For now, we'll just focus on getting you a job and making sure you're safe. When you come over to stay next, mom said we'll go shopping so you can pick out things for your room.**

 **I get to pick stuff out?** She was surprised by this. She expected that she was just going to be given a room like she had at Zarbon's. She figured that she could decorate when she had enough money, but she never expected Bulma to want to help her decorate immediately.

 **Yeah, totally. It's going to be your room after all,** Trunks reminded her. **You should have the things you want and need. I mean, we already have the bedroom furniture, but if you feel you need a nightstand or more light, you can pick stuff out for that, too. Plus a comforter set. I don't know what colors you like yet, so that's all you.**

Mai's lips twitched upward, a slight quirk as she thought about it. Her own room. Sure, she had a room at Zarbon's, but it wasn't hers. She didn't even know what happened to the majority of the stuff she had when she was growing up, what he did with it when they moved. As far as sentimental items went, she had her mother's pencils, some photographs in a small album, and the purple blanket her mother knit for her when she was really little. She kept everything hidden from Zarbon. There were some of her mother's clothes that she had and some jewelry that she kept, but the rest of it was in Zarbon's room and she never dared to venture in there. **I don't know how to thank you guys.**

 **Just keep fighting and hang in there,** Trunks requested. **I hate seeing you so hurt. I wish there was more I could do.**

 **You're already doing it, idiot,** she teased, laughing quietly as she did so.

Trunks sent back a pouty face, but also sent back, **I'm your idiot,** with a wink. Mai's cheeks turned red, but the smile never left her face.

 **That you are. Anyway, Zarbon told me today that in a couple weeks, there's a weeklong conference for local corporations, so I'll be able to come over then. I'm hoping the apologetic mood lasts the two weeks. I'd like to see you when I'm not injured.**

 **I'd like that too,** Trunks concurred. **I'll let mom know. She'll be happy to have you home.**

Mai's breath caught in her throat as Trunks called his place her home. She hadn't felt like she had a home in so long, but these wonderful people were inviting her into their place and making it her first home since her mother had died. Her heart nearly burst from the intense emotion and gratefulness she felt. **Yeah. Anyway, I need to get back to schoolwork now. I'll text you before bed.**

 **Okay,** Trunks accepted. **I'll talk to you later. Stay safe.**

She deleted the messages and placed her phone off to the side so that she could return her books and pencils to her hidden wall. To be honest, she couldn't concentrate anymore, her mind and emotions toiling inside her. It was the perfect time to distract herself with the math work she had, plus she would be able to do some more problems on the group project. That would be due the following week.

Mai grabbed her workbook and lied down on the bed holding it up above her head, but she eventually had to roll over on her side because it did hurt slightly. Her mind was solely on her work, so she was jolted out when she heard a knock on a door. Her body tensed, nerves returning. "Come in," she forced herself not to stutter.

Zarbon took her invitation and entered her room. He looked slightly irritated, so Mai was worried that something bad was going to happen to her. "Here," he said tossing a bottle of ibuprofen on her bed. "Take some of those. Have a good night."

Mai's eyes widened, but Zarbon was already gone before she could say anything, her bedroom door slammed seconds later. She cringed at the loud noise, but then relaxed. To be honest, she was even more terrified for her life than ever. Zarbon was being _nice_. Zarbon didn't do nice, ever. A long time ago, maybe, but not in the last three years. Apologetic, rarely, but never nice. Something was wrong.

Something was always wrong.

* * *

Bulma stepped out of her car after Vegeta opened her door for her and escorted her into the bar. Goku had told her about the place, said she would like it. A friend of Chi Chi's had convinced them to double with them there. Chi Chi had expected a different sort of place for something named The Piano Bar. Her friend had liked it, but now she could see why he wasn't as thrilled as he said she'd be.

When she and Vegeta entered the bar, it looked like all the tables and chairs and booths were positioned in a circle around a large piano. The lighting was dim, but there was a spotlight on the pianist who was playing many songs beautifully while getting others to sing along. It was the most interactive bar she had seen, and she was most certainly ready to sing.

She chanced a glance at Vegeta who looked slightly perturbed. "Let's go take those two seats," she suggested, pointed to a small table surrounded by five empty chairs. He nodded and followed her there while eyeing the pianist. They hadn't gone through the main doors then, but when they did Vegeta nearly regretted it.

"HEEEEEEY!" a mass of people and the pianist greeted as they entered. A random guy yelled out, "Newcomers!"

"Welcome!" the pianist said, continuing to play the song everyone was still singing.

Bulma smiled, not having expected such a friendly greeting. She and Vegeta took their seats, a bartender coming over to take their drink orders. The two of them each ordered a drink, Bulma ordering something fruity and Vegeta ordering a beer, but they also ordered some shots as a way to keep up with their drinking game promise.

Moments later, the waiter returned with their drinks and went off, and the song was over. The pianist took the shot he had on his piano in his hand and said, "Let's have another toast. Everyone raise their drinks. If you don't have one, pretend." Everyone did so, even Bulma though Vegeta looked slightly out of place wondering what exactly they had walked into. "When I say 'drink,' you say 'more.' Drink!"

"More!" everyone chanted.

"Drink!

"More!"

"Drink!"

"More!"

"To all of you guys, hope you're having a good night." The pianist's attention shifted to the couple. "And to newcomers, I hope you enjoy yourselves. Drink up!"

Everyone cheered and took sips of their drink. Bulma laughed awkwardly while following suit, especially when she caught Vegeta's stupefied look. The pianist spoke up again. Considering they were new, his next speech was for their benefit. "I'm Kenny, and this here is The Piano Bar. There's five rules at the piano bar. And they are…"

"Drink more!" the crowd finished.

"The second," Kenny continued, "is to sing every song loudly, though not necessarily well. Third rule?"

"Drink more!" the crowd said again, all laughing.

"Fourth is to make a lot of noise at the end of every song whether you liked it or not," Kenny added before hitting a couple of keys singing, "This is the quickest song in the world."

Then everyone in the bar cheered and stomped their feet. "And last but not least, whenever someone enters the bar, everyone says?"

"HEEEEEEEY!" everyone screamed.

"You can write down song suggestions and request with the paper and pencils provided," Kenny told them. "This is a suggestion," he continued holding up a piece of paper. Then he held up another paper that had cash folded around it. "This is an official request. If I know it, I'll play it. If not, it goes into the homework pile which after twelve o'clock becomes the fuck it pile." His regular crowd all laughed at that. "Someone give me a decade or artist."

"Eighties!" a woman called out.

Another guy called out, "Sixties!"

Bulma was hoping for an eighties song, for she knew a lot of her mother's music. She knew music from some other decades, but not as well. "Eighties!" she called out, startling her companion.

"What in the world?" he questioned. He had been stunned by Bulma actually going along with the crazy and zany antics of these bar goers. To be honest, he had always seen Bulma when she was more reserved. Even when they drove, he could tell she wanted to sing sometimes, humming and tapping the wheel. Now that he thought about it, she was probably holding back for whatever reason.

"Newcomer wants an eighties song," Kenny said smiling back at Bulma and nodding to Vegeta who frowned. All of a sudden, Kenny started playing a song and Bulma instantly recognized the song, Asia's "Heat of the Moment."

Vegeta watched as Bulma sang with the rest of the crowd, completely bewildered. No, he wasn't gaping at her because he was bothered by her actions or singing, but he was surprised that someone who was normally so closed off and quiet could sing so soulfully and loudly. As the night continued, more songs passed, and she knew almost all of them or at least the refrains. As the night continued, Vegeta found himself relaxed, just content to be with Bulma in this setting where he could see her free spirit. He now realized why her childhood friend had recommended this place for her, why she'd love it. Here, she got to be herself, and it was clear that she had still been hiding her true self. Again, Vegeta didn't mind, but now he found himself wanting to know this more open side of Bulma. She was already beautiful to him, but when she looked this free, her true beauty shone.

It was getting later, Bulma and Vegeta both finished with second and third drinks, their shots still untouched. His watch read ten-thirty, and he knew that they'd both need to leave soon, but neither of them could drink. Though slightly intoxicated, he remembered that they were on his side of town and his apartment was in walking distance. He was about to suggest they leave quietly, but all of a sudden Kenny spoke up.

"Alright, it's ten-thirty, which means now we've officially crossed into naughty hour," he joked. "Who has a song for us?" He looked over to Vegeta a grinned teasingly. "What about you, newcomer?"

Vegeta glared at the pianist, taking Bulma's arm. "We're leaving."

Bulma simply laughed at Vegeta's discomfort, but agreed to go, Vegeta leaving cash for their drinks and unfinished shots. As they left, a few people came in and the whole bar cheered again. Vegeta shook his head at the rest of the drunkards. Sure, being there with Bulma had been fun enough, and he'd consider taking her there again, but it wasn't something he'd want to do every night.

Man, they had given him a headache.

The two of them were walking in the direction of her home, and Bulma finally realized that they were pretty far away from the bar. "Hey, where are we going?" she questioned. She hadn't thought to ask before.

"My apartment's this way," Vegeta answered. "Neither of us is in the condition to drive."

Bulma giggled in response. "Yeah, you're right about that. So, what did you think? Wasn't that awesome?"

Vegeta smirked slightly. "I wouldn't say awesome," he replied. "Singing isn't really my thing, but watching you was fun. Where did you learn to sing like that, and how come I haven't heard you before?"

"Well, mom and I always sang together in the car and all," Bulma explained. "She got me into eighties rock music and I fell in love with it fully during college. We also sang in choir. Trunks and I always sing together like mom and me did to all kinds of stuff. As to why you've never heard me sing like that before, it's because we weren't as close then."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Vegeta pressed. He wasn't bothered by her claim. He had been attracted and felt a connection, but he didn't feel close to Bulma until the two of them finally delved further into their past. "That shouldn't stop you."

"I may not come off as it, but I'm a very shy person," Bulma confided, though her voice was full of humor and light, probably on account of the alcohol. "I would mumble words around Goku until around college, and I still don't sing at full volume around him. Usually just around mom, Trunks, and my brother. I sang around my father a long time ago, but he was bothered that I sang so passionately to this one song that was a break up song by Kelly Clarkson. Asked if I felt that way about our relationship."

Vegeta snickered. "Idiot. I believe if we were at the bar, you'd be required to take a shot."

Bulma nodded and laughed. "Yeah, anyway, other people I usually just murmur words around and such, but I can sing out around the people I'm close to. When I'm in a group like chorus or church choir, it doesn't bother me because our voices blend together, so yeah. That's why."

"So we've reached close status," Vegeta remarked, his voice relax and content. "Good to know."

"I want to be closer," Bulma murmured giddily moving in front of him and wrapping his arms around him. Vegeta knew he could take Bulma's statement two ways, and he figured she meant it in the more figurative sense than the literal. "I promise I'll tell you everything one day," confirmed what he believed.

"And I'll be willing to listen when you're ready," he assured her. "You've been through a hell of a lot, woman. We have time."

Bulma grinned up at him, her blue orbs glistening in the moonlight. He was being pulled into the abyss the longer he stared at her eyes, but his attention shifted when he looked up and realized they were at his apartment complex. Though he felt the desire to drown himself in her, he fought down the urge and led her up the stairs carefully and into his apartment.

Once in his apartment, though, all bets were off, apparently. As the two of them readied themselves for bed, they found themselves curled up together making out. Bulma was hyperaware that she was making out in her boyfriend's bed, but the thought didn't frighten her. Vegeta didn't push her, only caressing her clothed body as she gently scratched his chest through his shirt. They broke for air multiple times, eventually feeling very spent as the alcohol caught up to them. Bulma felt warmth engulf her as Vegeta's hands moved to her stomach. He was entertained when his movement made the woman release a squeak from being tickled. He tested the water, rubbing her stomach slowly, each glide of his finger making her twitch until she finally got used to the action.

His hands found rest on her stomach, no longer moving and exploring her reactions to his touch, though he continued to kiss her neck allowing Bulma to drift off feeling wonderful. She rested one of her hands over his, but her free hand slowly slid up his body, neck, and cheek to reach his dark mane of hair. Vegeta released a contented sigh against her neck before he rested his forehead in the crux. One of his hands left her stomach to reach her hand entangled in his hair, removing it and returning both appendages to her stomach. That is how they had fallen asleep together, and that was how they would find themselves the next morning.

For the most part, they had succeeded in having one night void of completely heavy discussion. They had both won their game.


	18. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

No double feature this week, but hopefully more frequent updates. I meant to post a new chapter Friday as usual. The chapters were hear, but life was in the way, and I've just been proofreading an older story to replace chapters. It's been taking up quite a bit of time. Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter, including a guest reviewer that just reviewed today. I really appreciate the feedback.

So anyway, I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Bulma awoke feeling completely at peace which was a rarity for her. She felt fingers softly gliding up and down her arm, another hand entangled in her tousled hair, and a hard yet protective body pressed against her back. Her eyes peeked open to see Vegeta over her, watching her sleep. Sleepily, she smiled at him, turning herself over to have him, her hand snaking its way into his hair. The hand he had been using to stroke her arm was removed as he stifled a big yawn in his palm before rubbing the sleep from his eyes, practically the cutest thing she had seen Vegeta do.

"Morning," she murmured, her voice still heavy with exhaustion. Then she immediately when on alert. "Morning?"

Vegeta nodded. "Yes, we came back to my place last night," he reminded her. "We were both drunk as shit," he admitted. "Though I could hold it better. You were a giggling mess."

He expected her to laugh and agree, but then he saw the guilty look of shame. For a moment, he was about to take it the wrong way, especially after she launched herself out of his grip. Immediately she went for her purse, but she didn't grab it and run. She went into it and pulled out her phone, muttering a curse which astounded Vegeta. He didn't hear her do it often, for she rarely seemed to lose her cool. Something had her frantic, though, but Vegeta was slowly lowering his guard. He had a feeling it had nothing to do with him.

"Come on, pick up, pick up, pick u-Trunks!" she shouted in exasperation. "I'm so sorry I didn't call last night."

Vegeta's expression softened, and he was now certain that her guilt was for forgetting to contact her son to let him know where she was. It hadn't been the first thing on his mind either, but that couldn't be helped. He wasn't used to checking in with anyone else. She was, and she had forgotten. That was why she was acting so frazzled. "Oh, that's a relief. Thank him for me. I'm glad he stayed over."

" _Relax, mom. Uncle Tarble and I got this,"_ Trunks assured her. _"I told you to go have fun. I figured you maybe overdid it. I knew you were okay. You're with Vegeta after all. Did you have a good time?"_

Bulma released a scoffing chuckle. "Yeah, baby, we had a good time. I'll see you later at the company. Have a good day at school, okay?"

" _Sure, mom. See ya later!"_

The woman hung up her phone and sighed facing her boyfriend who was watching her intensely. "Sorry about that. When I realized it was morning, I went into mom mode and panicked. I know Trunks can take care of himself, but I just needed to make sure he was up and ready for school. He's a night owl like me, so sometimes it's hard for him to get up, but my brother came back last night and stayed with him."

"That's good," Vegeta remarked. "And I get it. You're a good mother, checking up on him like that, especially when he has so much going on."

Bulma smiled sadly and took a seat next to Vegeta realizing he was talking from experience now. She hadn't forgotten how much he had been through as a teenager and how his mother told him she didn't care. She could never imagine putting her son through the same thing, and it pained her that Vegeta had been neglected when he was suffering the most. "I would never do that to him."

"I know," Vegeta confirmed, wrapping an arm around her still managing to hug her tightly. "I know."

The room was getting slightly stuffy with tenseness, so Bulma pulled away slightly and moved to kiss his forehead, then each cheek. "What are you-?" She then pecked his nose with her lips which made him chuckle slightly, releasing his taut muscles. Finally, she pressed her lips to his gently. Vegeta melted into the kiss, his arms instinctively wrapping around her body protectively and he kissed her back with fervor. Bulma grinned into the kiss, her hands rubbing his back comfortingly until she reached his lower back causing him to hiss.

"Wh-What did I do?" she questioned nervously.

"Heh," Vegeta softly laughed. "Sorry, old injury from a school sport. My lower back is pretty sensitive."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Bulma murmured. "You should have stopped me."

Vegeta simpered, his teeth showing. "I didn't because it felt good," he countered. "It's okay."

Bulma smiled shyly, and it was completely endearing. He had never really seen all these sides to Bulma before, and he realized that her confession of being shy the night before was right on the mark. It was amazing that this seemingly put together woman who could handle herself so well in any conflict could also be an emotional, boisterous, and shy woman. She was a fighter, a survivor, but only because she had no other choice given her situation. As she began to trust him more, feel safer with him, she was showing him all of the sides she kept hidden from everyone save the ones who truly knew her. She was so beautiful.

His eyes flashed over to his digital clock and he realized that they needed to start getting ready for the day, however, Bulma didn't have any clothes with her. She seemed to notice the predicament and frowned. "Uh, I might be late today," she informed him, laughing awkwardly.

She didn't need to come in late. He looked her up and down, her blue dress only slightly wrinkled and easily covered by the sweater she had left on his chair the night before. "I don't see a problem with your attire. You only wore it for our date. You can shower here and just cover up the dress with the sweater."

Bulma seemed surprised by the very well thought out plan. That couldn't be something he just pulled out of his head just like that. "Experience?"

Vegeta blushed, but nodded. "Ella snuck over to my house one night and we fell asleep, and the next morning we had minutes to get ready before my bus came."

"Ella, huh?" Bulma said, testing the name out. "That's a very pretty name."

Vegeta nodded once again, feeling slightly emotional speaking the woman's name. He had not said it in so many years, hoping that losing her would get easier if he ignored it. That hadn't helped, but he never spoke of her to anyone save Bulma. Speaking Ella's name to her actually made him feel lighter, and Bulma was very kind and understanding about it all. Strangely enough, Bulma looked up to the sky and smiled. "I have to thank you, Ella, for being such a big part of his life. I promise to take care of him."

The look her boyfriend was giving her was priceless. He looked completely baffled, his mouth open as if he wanted to ask what in the world she was doing even though it was clear. "What?" she teased.

"Did you seriously just…" but he didn't finish his question. Instead, he tried to play it off like Bulma was crazy. "Woman, how often do you talk to the dead?"

At that, Bulma laughed wildly, clutching her stomach because the laughter hurt so much. She was hunched over, literally holding herself together as she looked to Vegeta, smiling widely. "Not often," she got out before another fit of giggles. "Sometimes, though, I'll be thinking about something my father put me through. I know this sounds weird, but I know he loved me. I had a couple dreams after he died where he came to me. Nothing was said, but I felt love. I was always afraid that he never loved me. Admitting that is what caused my depression back in college. After I lost him, I tried to focus on those dreams more than anything else, but my stepmother kept reminding me she wanted to tell me her version of the truth, and I was stressed again.

"Basically, I blamed myself for a long time for everything because my father blamed me, and I never placed the blame on him, so after he passed, knowing he loved me now, I would sometimes just look up at the sky and tell him he was an asshole or a douchebag. I think he knew after he died just how much he put me through, and so I think he'd forgive me for actually placing the blame on him. Anyway, even if they can't hear me, it makes me happy that I said something. As for right now, Ella was a big part of your life and loved you. I know I won't replace her in your heart, and so the best I can do is let her know that I'll take care of you for her."

Her explanation was both simple and complicated, and Vegeta found his heart reaching out to hers in that moment. He looked up to the ceiling for a moment, considering her words. He had never tried talking to his dead fiancé before, always trying to avoid it. Nor had he tried to speak to his dead father, either. He had no closure with either of them, just as Bulma had no closure with her own father. Maybe the secret of grieving was not to avoid grieving or letting a shit ton of time pass. Maybe, just maybe, the secret was to not only face it, but to remind oneself that the person was still there. Where Vegeta had grown up not knowing what he believed in, if he believed there was a life after death or not, he knew Ella truly believed it. Bulma clearly believed it, and she was handling her grief well.

Maybe it didn't matter if he believed or not. He could still tell himself they were there, see what would happen.

Bulma eyed him, sort of figuring out his train of thought. "It's okay," she assured him. "Go on. I won't judge."

Vegeta's conflicted orbs met hers and he found comfort staring into them, giving him the courage he needed to push through and finally face it all. Once again, he looked up. "Ella…I hope you approve." Strangely enough, he felt a rush of peace flow within him. "And father…" he spoke soft before his eyes narrowed. "I don't give a shit about your opinion, but I hope you're fucking there watching all this. I hope you're happy I finally took interest. Now I'm cleaning up your mess."

Bulma smiled and saw a smirk appear on Vegeta's face. He looked to her, grinning, maybe finding humor in the fact that he could finally tell his father off. To be honest, Bulma was sure his father heard him, and for good measure, she looked up and said to her own father. "I'm with him, dad. I don't care what you would have thought of my decisions, but I hope you've been seeing all this. Who has poor work ethic now?"

Vegeta chuckled and shook his head. "We're crazy," he told her humorously. "That's the only explanation as to why that felt so damn good."

"Nah," Bulma rejected, waving her hand at him. "It just means they finally heard us. We are perfectly sane…well, clinically, at least."

This time, Vegeta barked his laughter before pulling the woman to him. She could feel his body shaking as he chortled. It had to be the first time she had seen Vegeta in such a relaxed, contented mood. She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him, and they stayed in their embrace until they both came down from their happy high. They both looked at the clock realizing they had minutes to get the office.

Well, it didn't matter if they were a little late.

* * *

Trunks was concerned when Goten hadn't shown up for math class. Mai had come up to him afterwards, also expressing her worry for their friend. It was the first day where Trunks hadn't walked her to her next class, for the lavender-haired teen thought it best to look for his friend. After all, he had been later to homeroom, but he was there.

The teenager really didn't care about getting a detention for skipping his next class. He could feel the sensation of dread in his gut. Making sure to avoid hall monitors, Trunks snuck to all of the hidden spots of their school where he and Goten usually frequented when they needed an escape from practices or whatever else. Surprisingly, Goten was in none of them.

Out of pure chance, Trunks decided to go to the weight room and that was where he found his friend, alone, lifting weight without a spotter. The teen's brows furrowed. Goten knew doing that, especially over the weight he was used to, wasn't safe.

Almost as soon as Trunks thought this, Goten lost his grip on the barbell and it hit him hard in the chest. Trunks instantly went to his friend to help him remove the heavy weight crushing him. Goten was surprised when he felt the bar raise, noticing that Trunks was standing above him, the two of them able to remove it. Air filled his lungs, Goten coughing from discomfort and sitting up.

Trunks, as his mother always did, began smacking Goten's back as he coughed. His friend released a few more little coughs, wiping tears from his eyes. "What the fuck was that for?" he rasped hoarsely. "Is smacking someone's back really the smart idea?"

His friend grinned. "Well, it got you to stop, did it not?" he joked before looking serious. "What were you thinking lifting alone like that, especially a heavier weight? What if I hadn't walked in?"

Goten sighed and looked away from Trunks. "Simple, I would have suffocated to death."

The abrupt and callous way Goten said that made Trunks's blood run cold. "Goten?" His friend's dark eyes snapped to his. "Were…were you hoping for that?"

The other teenager hissed in disgust, but shook his head. "I knew it was a possibility, but I didn't care either way. I'm just so pissed right now."

"Why?" Trunks pressed, pushing himself to sit on the bench next to his friend. At first, Goten scoffed at the idea of talking. "Come on, you know I'll get it out of you eventually, so you might as well open up now."

Goten shook his head in disbelief, but he knew Trunks was right. Letting out a frustrated breath, he finally told Trunks what was really going on with Paigen. "That bitch kissed me last night."

"What?" Trunks marveled, eyes wide. His brows then furrowed, his own anger seeping through. "Your first?"

"No, thank God," Goten replied feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt. "I didn't tell you this, but my first kiss was with Valese when we were about twelve. We kissed a few more times since then, but not since middle school."

"Whoa," Trunks whispered. "That I was not expecting. And you seriously think she doesn't like you…"

Goten's angered eyes landed on Trunks once again. "What the hell can I offer her, Trunks, huh? I'm a fucking mess. Even on these medications I still have these damn mood swings, and the anxiety is too much. She'd be worried about me all the time. Plus, she wants kids. I love my father, and I don't blame him for this shit, but I can't pass this on. I can hardly handle it. I can't handle school, so I doubt I'll be able to continue after high school, and then I won't even get a decent job. So tell me, Trunks, what could I possibly offer her?"

"Love," Trunks replied simply, taking Goten aback as if that was the one answer he hadn't been expecting. "Goten, she knows all this stuff. We all do, and yet she continues to be there for you. I can see it in her eyes. It's like with me and Mai. She's waiting for the right time, Ten, for when you're ready. She knows and she's willing to take it all on because she loves you, and I can tell by everything you just said that you love her too, so just focus on that. And besides, your dad has a decent job and he didn't get a degree. Hard work is important, too. Besides, look at our world today. Degrees are slowly becoming worthless, anyway."

Trunks winked at Goten, making his friend chuckle weakly. "And yet you still want to go to school after," Goten pointed out, "so not too worthless."

"I don't know what I want to do yet, Ten," Trunks reminded him. "I want to go to college to see if anything comes to me, even if I end up getting some generic degree. I'm not putting pressure on myself right now to choose anything. I'll see what classes I like and if I can handle certain ones, and if I can, I'll direct myself that way. I like to think of school as self-discovery, not a grade."

"Yeah, I guess," Goten mumbled. He was already feeling better, now that he had gotten that all off of his chest. Now that he was calmer, he went back to the matter at hand. "So, Paigen…"

"Yeah, what about her?" Trunks snapped slightly. "Look, Ten, she's just a bitch. It's not like you wanted it. A kiss with no feelings means nothing. It's nothing to worry yourself over."

"Oh, Trunks, it's not just that," Goten groaned, and now Trunks was worried again.

"What do you mean?" his friend pressed more gently.

Goten scoffed derisively. "Paigen is a bitch. This whole project bullshit is just a way for her to temporarily control me. She's…she's blackmailing me with you and Valese to act like we're dating. Yesterday, she spent the whole time at the library asking me what story I thought Snake would like best, the fact that you snuck into the girl's locker room to peep on Mai, or that you went in to fuck her. Those exact words, too. Trunks, I saw red, I nearly hit her. I was so damn tempted."

"But you didn't," Trunks soothed. "Believe me, I want to hit her too. I won't, but she's pissing me off with this."

Nodding, Goten continued. "Anyway, the more I tried to ignore her, the more she leaned into me saying that she'd find a way to ruin your life and Valese's if I didn't play along. Stupidly, I asked, 'play along with what,' and then she told me she wanted me to act as her boyfriend, even after we're done with the project. I looked at her with disgust, and in that moment she actually smirked at me and kissed me before leaving me alone in the library. I've been pissed ever since."

"Why didn't you call me?" Trunks questioned. "Or at least talk to your mom or dad?"

"And tell them what, Trunks?" Goten questioned. "There's a girl who has so much frigging power over me trying to force me into a relationship I don't want in order to protect my friends' secrets and you from getting expelled? I'd look like a total pussy."

"That's exactly what you tell them," Trunks stated seriously, ignoring Goten's self-loathing remark. "Ten, what's she's doing…I don't know what the full term is, but I'm pretty sure that's extortion."

"Doesn't matter," Goten surrendered. He heaved a heavy sigh. "I don't know what I'm going to tell Valese. If you're right, and she really does love me, it's going to crush her."

"You're not honestly considering going along with it."

"Trunks, what choice do I have?" Goten groaned. "I can't let her hurt you guys."

"We'll be fine, Ten," Trunks tried to assure him. "We can handle it. You can't. Please, just ignore this woman. Ask our teacher to switch partners. Go to a different guidance counselor and tell them she's harassing you. File a restraining order. Something!"

"I'll be okay," Goten stated. "Talking actually helped out a lot." He cocked his head, smiling at Trunks wistfully. "Thanks, bro."

"Goten…" Trunks sighed, before he sighed. "Fine. I can't stop you from doing this, but I'm going to tell you every day how fucking stupid it is until you dump her ass and report her."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Goten said forlornly. "You're a good friend."

Trunks hesitated. He felt like a terrible friend. He was intentionally going along with a plan he knew would backfire and hurt his friend in the long run. Sure, he couldn't control Goten's actions, and he was telling him how wrong this was, giving him advice on what to do, but Goten was refusing to help himself. There had to be something he could do that was better than letting Paigen sink his claws into him.

"Is…is the new medication working?" Trunks asked skeptically. So far it didn't seem like it.

"Well, I just started using it," Goten explained, "but I am handling it better. Today was the first time I had an outburst since it was given to me. I'm not even a week into it, so I think it'll be good. Maybe I'll have a different outlook tomorrow."

"Yeah, I hope so," Trunks admitted.

Goten grinned at his friend. He really was lucky to have Trunks on his side. He was certain he'd most likely lose Valese if he went along with Paigen. That was when he would need Trunks the most. He couldn't handle the thought of not having Valese in his life. Maybe he should wait to talk to her, though he knew that would be as impossible as it was unfair. He had to do this gently, make sure she knew it wasn't her and that he needed her. He hoped she wouldn't completely shut him out, though he realized their close bond would dissolve and the pain that would cause him.

"We should probably head to our next classes," Goten pointed out. "We're already gonna be screwed for skipping math, and I skipped one other class, too."

Trunks frowned. That meant Goten was risking his life callously for over an hour, close to an hour and a half. Something was definitely wrong, but Trunks couldn't figure out what it was.

The two boys went to their separate classes, though Trunks saw Gohan on his way to class. His feet carried him over to the teenager, Gohan's smiling face greeting him. "Hey, Trunks. What's up? I'm running a little late." When Trunks's stern demeanor didn't shift, Gohan asked, "Seriosuly, what's wrong?"

"Just…keep an eye on Goten," Trunks pleaded, which startled the older twin. "Tell your parents, too. I'm sworn to secrecy, but I'm worried about him. Just make sure they make sure he's taking his new medication. If nothing changes…they're going to have to try something else."

"Uh, Trunks…" Gohan breathed out. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He was so used to Goten going to Trunks with his problems. It never bothered him that Goten was able to confide more in Trunks than him given the fact that Goten probably saw Trunks as more objective. The fact that Trunks was coming to the other Son was a big alarm bell, and Gohan took it seriously. "I'll try to talk to him," Gohan agreed. "Maybe he'll confide in me too, and then we can try to figure out a way to help him. I'll tell mom and dad to keep an eye out for him."

"Just make sure he doesn't know," Trunks begged. "If he ever thought I was telling you guys stuff about what he was saying, I don't think he'd ever confide in me again."

"I'll be careful," Gohan promised. "He's my brother, and I don't want him to feel betrayed or isolate himself, but I also want him to be safe. Not…not like what happened to grandpa."

Trunks nodded. The man was still alive when they were really little, and they had seen the product of his life attempt. No one ever told them the full story because of how emotionally scarring it was for their two families, but years after the man died, many, many years, after they found out Goten had inherited the conditions, they finally explained what happened, and none of the children were ever the same after that.

It couldn't be helped that they were so curious and refused to let their parents hide the truth. Apparently, back when Goku, Krillin, and Bulma were in high school, Goku had been hospitalized because of his anxiety condition after having a panic attack. During that time, Bulma had called every day trying to see how Goku was doing, and Goku's father kept saying that he should have been a better father, to which the girl did not know what to say other than he was a good father. Goku loved him, and he was good to her when her own treated her like trash.

Goku had been home for a while, recovering and in therapy. On Mother's Day, they heard the man calling for help. He had been on fire. During that time, Bulma took off from her school to go to the hospital with them all. Bardock had been put into an induced coma, undergoing so many surgeries to repair the damage that was caused. Goku had been a mess during that time, blaming himself. His mother, his father's family, and he expected that the man had done it to himself while Bulma and Bunny kept trying to assure them that they didn't know for sure what happened. Bulma kept assuring Goku that even if it were the case, it was not his fault at all.

When Bardock recovered enough and was awake, he was far from lucid. He had been in a coma for months as he healed, and very confused, especially since so much time had passed. Around the time when Bulma and Goku had gone to her prom as friends, they visited him and he struggled to communicate, but he asked Bulma questions that didn't really make sense to her. He got better over time, able to hold full conversations, but he still had difficulties moving around and remembering certain things.

All of this happened because his medication had stopped working, and instead of talking to someone, he just kept to himself. It came out in therapy that he remembered doing it to himself, and it was one of the hardest thing anyone was had to come to terms with.

They hadn't given the kids the gruesome details. The adults were still the only ones who knew the true story. They didn't want to haunt Goten or Gohan with the details. How they worded it to the kids was that their grandfather was very sick and had to take medicine similar to what Goten would be taking, but that the medicine stopped working and he hurt himself because it stopped working, so that Goten would know if he ever felt really bad and like the medication wasn't working, he needed to talk to them so they could try a different kind. So far they had tried a couple different medications and they hadn't found the golden one yet. The kids hadn't asked anything more, like how he had gotten hurt. To this day, they still didn't know.

They just knew the severity of the situation, and Goten was the one they had to worry about. They needed to be his support system and get him through it. Their father, even if he still had moments of anxiety, had found ways to deal with it. He had his confidants, and he knew to go to them. But he had decades on them. According to Goku and Bulma, it took years for him to accept that he needed to talk to Bulma about his problems. When they had broken up, he had been without her and had to figure stuff out for himself, at least talking to his mom and Krillin. They had kept him afloat, but he was relieved when Bulma had taken her time to heal and finally contacted him again. Since then, he tried not to ever take her for granted.

"Don't worry," Trunks said confidently. "Goten won't ever get that bad. He has us. We won't let it happen."

"Right," Gohan breathed out, feeling the anxiety leave him. Where he didn't have the same problems Goten did and could manage his normal anxiety better, he still worried a great deal when it came to his father and brother. He wondered if that was why he pulled away from people so much, why his social anxiety developed. It was possible, but Gohan refused to linger on that idea. "We better get to class. We're late."

"Yeah," Trunks agreed. "Later, Gohan. And thanks."

"You don't have to thank me. He's my brother, too."

The two teens smiled at each other, coming to a cemented understanding of what they both were to Goten. For years, it seemed like Gohan wasn't really a fan of him or his mother, and he could sort of understand, but still found it stupid. At least he had gotten over it. They had all wanted the same thing, for Goten to be okay. Now, everyone accepted that the feelings were all mutual.

It had taken them long enough.

Trunks waved to Gohan before reaching his class, an angry teacher immediately at the door scolding him. Well, guess who got detention for the whole following week? A game week of all things.

* * *

Bulma had done a good job of avoiding Launch the whole week, somehow managing to miss her when she took her lunch break. Of course, Bulma made sure to take her break late every day, so Launch couldn't outwait her. Today, Bulma noticed that not many took a late lunch. Everyone must have been preparing for the conference that was to take place in the next couple weeks. Vegeta had complained to Raditz about it when he came in on them talking on one of their breaks saying that Vegeta had to attend all the meetings regarding it. He may have gone through the formalities of conferences when managing his own company, but Paragus was trying to outshine him and be in charge of going and making the negotiations. Vegeta refused to let that happen, and so he bid Bulma goodbye for the day and sat through each meeting, proving himself as he spoke. The board believed he could handle himself, and so they did not appoint Paragus to attend the conference.

Vegeta, Raditz, and Nappa would all be attending, and the conference lasted a week. Bulma wondered what exactly they had to do at this conference. If it was all about making negotiations, why did they need a week to do it? She figured she could ask Vegeta another time.

After purchasing her lunch, she noticed that there was only one other person in the cafeteria by that point. He looked so solemn, all by himself as he pushed his salad's lettuce around with his fork. The man was tall, lean, and light-skinned, his dark hair contrasting the light look, his bangs framing his face. Bulma rarely ventured from the research department or the boardroom for certain meetings, so it wasn't like she had met many employees. She was always in touch with her empathy and could feel like this guy was lonely and needed someone to talk to. That feeling dragged her over to the table.

"Hey," she called softly.

The man jumped, clearly startled. He looked around everywhere before his eyes found her. Blinking in confusion, he gawped at her. "Are…are you talking to me?"

The way he asked the question wasn't cruel or irritated, but more wondering, pleading for her to say "yes." "Uh, yeah, I was. You looked pretty distant eating all alone down here. Thought you could use a lunch buddy."

"O-Oh," the man replied before motioning for the empty chair across from him. "Take a seat. Thank you."

Bulma smiled. "No problem. So, I hardly ever get out of my office during the day. Who're you and what department do you work in?"

The man, who had been so sullen, now looked very relieved and slightly happy. "My name is Broly. I work down in records."

"That's cool," Bulma replied. "I work up in the research department. My name is Bulma."

"Bulma? As in the Bulma dating Mr. Kurobushi?"

"Has news really travelled that fast?" she asked, a little caught off-guard. "Yes, I'm dating Vegeta."

Broly grinned at her. "Good for you," he praised. "I met Mr. Kurobushi. He is a lot kinder to me than his father was. Where I hardly interacted with the man, he always looked down on me. Mr. Kurobushi isn't like that. He treats even us lower floor employees like we matter."

"I had a lot of friends come into the company after our last job went to hell, so I'm very happy to hear you say that," Bulma replied. "I noticed that about him, as well. We sort of met by accident, and my best friend's brother is a friend of his, so I knew he was a good guy from the beginning."

Her companion nodded and the two of them ate a little bit before they chatted a little more for the rest of their break. "Oh, so you have a son?"

"Yeah, his name is Trunks," Bulma told him. "Vegeta hired him as an intern."

"I remember filing that paperwork," Broly stated. "This is a really good opportunity for him. You must be so proud."

"I am," Bulma said fondly. "So, Broly, do you have any kids?" Broly's expression faltered slightly before he shook his head. "Oh, is it a sore subject?"

"No, not exactly," Broly assured her. "It's just…I don't know you very well, Bulma, and I have a lot wrong with me that I'd rather not delve into."

"Is it an anxiety thing?" Broly looked at her skeptically. "My best friend and his son both have anxiety issues, so I understand it."

"It's…something like that," Broly admitted. He sighed and looked down at his food. "Bulma, I've never talked to anyone about this before except my father. He got me the job here, but he kept this quiet. By the time I was working, I was deemed healthy, so he didn't mention it or I would have never found work. I can do this job. I can't lose it."

"What's said at this table stays at this table," she assured him. "Only if you _want_ to talk about it."

Broly nodded, but was still skeptical. "I…I'm schizophrenic," he confided, noticing Bulma's surprise. "I'm medicated, and I go to therapy. I do low stress activities, and I've been good for over a decade."

"That's good," Bulma praised kindly. "And it's understandable. Stuff like that isn't really something you control, and you shouldn't be penalized for it. Don't worry, I won't say anything. It's not like you aren't being treated and all. Was it bad?"

He nodded again. "Terrifying. There were days I couldn't silence the voices. It was driving me mad, but my father got me help. I was committed for a while. Eventually, the voices just went away and I have to say I love the silence."

"Well, for what it's worth, I'm glad you're okay. I know how scary it can be."

"It really doesn't bother you? You really won't tell Vegeta?"

"It's nothing that affects the company, and you're confiding in me," Bulma stated. "There's no reason to say anything. You haven't had any problems, and I'm sure if you did, like my friend, you'd tell someone."

"Of course I would. I never want to go through that again," Broly swore. "Wow…I…never thought I'd ever speak to anyone else about this, let alone someone I work with."

"Everyone needs someone to confide in," Bulma declared. "Everyone needs a friend."

"A friend," Broly tested the word before smiling. "It's been a long time since I had a friend. Thank you."

"No problem," Bulma comforted. "So, what did that have to do with kids?"

Broly grimaced. "Schizophrenia has a chance of being passed on, plus I really have no desire to meet anyone. Around the time where it was at its worst point, I was dating this girl and she had broken up with me. That was around the time my father noticed something was wrong and got me help. I'm thankful. I was worried I'd hurt her."

"I get it. My friend, Goku, didn't want to have kids either for the same reason, the genetics of it all, but he and his wife ended up having two boys."

"And they have the issue, you said, or one of them does," Broly pointed out. "I want there to be a zero chance, and I really have no desire to date anyone, even if they understood or didn't want kids. I don't mind being alone, believe me." He pointed to his forehead, gently flicking it. "There were too many people up in here as it was. I'm content enough having made a friend."

Bulma smiled sympathetically. "Well, then I'm happy I get to be your friend. Thank you for confiding in me."

The two of them finished their lunch before saying their goodbyes and going to the respective departments. Bulma was happy that she could be there to help someone that day and believed that maybe she was meant to meet Broly in avoiding her stepmother. Something good had come out of her stress, so to her it was worth it.

Maybe she'd make taking a late lunch a frequent thing.

* * *

A few days had passed, and Zarbon's kind demeanor hadn't changed. Mai was becoming more paranoid, waiting for the man to snap. Her jitters were easily detected by Trunks and their group of friends at school. Of course, she'd only talk to Trunks about it. He pulled her aside before gym, asking her what was wrong.

"Trunks, he knows something," she said, panicked.

Her whole body was shaking, trembling. His embrace made it possible for him to feel every twitch and tensing in her body. "Hey, hey," he soothed. "Relax, Mai. It's okay. He doesn't know anything."

She pulled away, looking at Trunks with fearful eyes. "Trunks…he's being _nice. Nice!_ " she explained. "Zarbon is never just nice. He's been giving me painkillers, asking me about my day…acting like a normal person. I can't take it. At any moment, he could snap and I won't be prepared. Trunks, I can't do this. I can't."

"Sh," he whispered, pulling her back into his old and rocking her gently. He started to run his fingers through her hair. "Sh. It's okay, I'm here."

Mai relaxed slightly, Trunks's soft, rumbling voice calming her down. "Just breathe. It's okay. You're okay. It's going to be okay."

She was starting to feel exhausted in his hold. "Hey, I have an idea," he told her. "We should go to the nurse."

Mai tensed again and looked to him questioningly. "The nurse? What for?"

He smiled impishly at her. "Well, the nurse will sometimes allow us to come in and take a nap if we say we don't feel well and didn't sleep well last night. Goten and I used to do that the nights where we stayed up talking through his anxiety. She's aware of his issue, and so she's okay with us going down there. If we tell her that, she'll think we were up late talking through our problems, and she'll call down to gym. Besides, you haven't been able to do much this week, anyway. Thankfully that Piccolo guy had Goten and I partnered with you and Valese so that we could show you what to do and talk you through the moves without you having to hurt yourself."

"Yeah," Mai replied. "You're right. I am exhausted. I've been so scared, Trunks. I don't want him to figure it out."

"He could be being nice for a completely separate reason," Trunks told her. "If he knew…Mai, I don't think he'd be being nice."

"Yeah, true. Maybe it's because the day when you came, it was the three year anniversary of my mother's death."

"Oh, Mai," Trunks empathized, hugging her tightly. "I'm really sorry."

"It's not your fault," she muttered against his chest. "Thanks."

Trunks grinned. "No need to thank me, beautiful."

Mai blushed and then whined, "Truuuuunks…" He only hugged her tighter as he chuckled.

"Come on. Let's go see the nurse."

Mai nodded and let Trunks take her hand, not letting go as they walked together to the nurse's office. There, they went into the back, the nurse allowing them to get rest while contacting their gym teacher. Mai lied down on one of the beds and faced Trunks on the bed next to her. He smiled at her. "Just rest. I'll keep watch."

She flashed him a sleepy, contented grin, feeling very safe in the moment. Because of Zarbon's strangeness, she hadn't been sleeping. She had been completely on edge every moment. But there, in the nurse's office with Trunks, she passed out instantly snoring softly with her guard watching over her offering his protection.

One day, she was sure they'd have more moments like this.


	19. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Okay, double feature time again XD I got started on another chapter and planned a few out, so I'm okay with posting two chapters that I still have. I thank everyone who has been reading and reviewing, and I hope you enjoy these two chapters!

* * *

Mai found herself being lightly shaken awake. She almost panicked, but she heard Trunks's soft voice call her. "It's time to wake up. We need to get to our buses."

Sleepily, she rolled over off the bed smiling at her friend. "Yeah. Thanks."

"No problem," Trunks assured her. "You were clearly tired. You were out like a light."

"It's been really stressful," she admitted. "That was probably the first bit of uninterrupted sleep I've gotten since I was with you."

It couldn't be helped, but Trunks frowned, his displeasure very clear to Mai. In attempts to assuage him, she took his hand and laced their fingers together. The two of them left the nurse's office, thanking her for allowing them to rest, the older woman bidding the two a nice rest of the day. They went straight to their lockers, and Trunks saw Goten talking to Valese. The brunette looked upset, so Trunks was sure Goten was telling her what he told him earlier.

"Goten, please don't," Valese pleaded. "I don't care if people know."

"Valese, it's not just you," Goten reminded her. "I can't tell you what's up, but I can't let her go to Snake and say that about Trunks."

Mai looked to Trunks who looked completely irate. "What is he talking about?"

In that moment, Paigen made her appearance, her hands on her hips. "Hey, Valium!" she jeered. "Get away from my boyfriend."

Valese looked to the bully with rage-filled eyes, but her eyes returned to Goten who looked so bothered, his eyes closed and his fist clenched. He had clearly been hoping for more time to talk with the girl. It bothered her that he was being forced into something he did not want.

Mai looked to Trunks questioningly, and the boy sighed in frustration before walking up to his friend and the girls. The dark-haired teen watched her friend nervously wondering what was happening. She was so lost.

"Listen, Pidgeon," Trunks snapped, "enough of this game. You know this is blackmail."

Paigen didn't seem to care. "Careful, Trunks. I still have something on you, and I'm not afraid to use it. Back off. Goten is mine now. I better not catch any of you around him. Watch yourselves."

Goten looked so neutral in that moment, as if he were surrendering to this woman. Trunks was about to tell Paigen off. He didn't care what she said. He could always say she was lying, at worst get a detention or suspended. He hadn't ever been suspended before, but he would do it for Goten. Anything to stop this stupid charade and protect both Goten and Mai.

That was when Gohan walked up to them. "Sorry, but that's not possible," he stated, arms crossed. "Goten already knows our mom's condition. No dating until we're sixteen, right Goten?"

Fearful yet thankful eyes flashed over to Gohan. Their mother had revoked that rule when they entered high school, but it had always been something she declared when they were younger. Panic filled Goten's chest, though, when he realized something. Paigen picked up on what he feared. "Yeah, so? You're dating Videl."

"Videl and I aren't dating," Gohan lied. "She's a close friend who I'm hoping to date in the future. Goten isn't going to play your dating game. Even if he does, mom'll ground him for sure. Then you won't see him at all save school."

Paigen scoffed. "You're such a mama's boy," she sneered before looking at Goten. "Fine." And then she smirked. "Then we'll just have to hide our relationship. I like it. It's forbidden. That's kind of hot."

Goten and the others had to resist the urge to throw up. Paigen went to grab his arm, but Valese got in her way. The redheaded bully glared at the brunette. "You may have a math project with Goten, but we have a science project. He said he was done with his part of your project, so it's my turn. You'll just have to wait and see him later."

The other girl was infuriated, screeching slightly before stomping away like a petulant child who couldn't have her way. Finally, that drama was over, but Goten still looked defeated. Valese stood in front of him, reaching out to rub his shoulders. "Goten, it'll be okay."

"No, it won't," Goten retorted, "but at least I have a reprieve for the moment. Thanks, Valese. You too, Gohan. All of you."

"What the heck is going on?" Mai questioned.

Trunks and Goten planned on staying quiet about the matter, not wanting to upset Mai further, but Gohan didn't know about her life and what she was going through. He was the one to inform her. "Paigen said she saw Trunks sneak into the girl's locker room and plans to tell Ms. Snake that the two of you slept together there."

Mai's eyes widened as she looked to Trunks and Goten guiltily. It was because of her that this was happening? As if reading her mind, Trunks said, "Mai, it's not your fault. You know Paigen likes to play this kind of game. It's really only hearsay. She can't prove anything."

"But she can make Ms. Snake question, and you can get in trouble…because of me," Mai stated.

"Maybe it would help if you two went to the guidance office and talked to Ms. Snake about whatever happened," Gohan suggested. "That way Paigen can't threaten you two or Goten."

"We can't," Trunks said abruptly, knowing Mai was on the verge to a breakdown. "I…we can't explain it now. It's complicated. But I'll think of something."

Gohan frowned, but he understood. Still, he couldn't believe what was happening to his brother. There had to be a way out for him where everyone else wasn't taken down by pointless rumors. "Hey, Valese, come home with us," Gohan suggested. "It's been a while since you've been over. Mom would be happy to have you over for dinner."

Valese smiled, thankful for Gohan's suggestion and invitation. Even Goten smirked knowingly. Paigen demanded Valese stay away from him, but she couldn't control what Gohan did or the fact that Valese was always welcome by his family. She had no control over what he did after school and in the comfort of his own home.

The three headed for their bus, saying goodbye to Trunks and a visibly upset Mai. The black-haired girl leaned against the lockers and slid down to the ground. "I was worried about Zarbon ruining your lives because of me. I didn't think Paigen could actually…"

Trunks slid down next to her. "Don't, Mai," Trunks chided gently. "It's not your fault. Paigen is just a bitch. If it wasn't you, she would come up with something else to try to smear our names. She has no power. Goten's just freaking out because she brought up Ms. Snake as a way to threaten us. Nothing can happen to us."

"Then why is Goten going along with this?" Mai yelled. "Valese doesn't care about what Paigen has to say about her, meaning Goten is covering for you and me!"

Her friend sighed and shook his head. "No, not you. He's covering for me. I'm the one who went into the locker room, so this is my responsibility. She said she would either say I went in to peep on you or that I went in to screw around with you before class. I can take the power away from her."

"How?"

"By increasing my detention load," Trunks huffed. "I already got next week because I skipped class to talk to Goten. I guess the coach will be really pissed at me."

"What about your job?" Mai said, panicked.

"Vegeta will understand," Trunks believed. "He's cool. I won't bring you up, but I'm going to say I snuck into the girl's locker room before gym because I always wanted to see what it looked like. That way, it's not creepy, there's no harm in it, I'll just get more detention, and even if Paigen shoots off her mouth, I already confessed and she had no idea what I was doing in there."

"Trunks…" Mai called softly before she smiled and nodded. "You can be really devious when you want."

"I'm not letting Goten suffer with that bitch," Trunks growled. "There's always a way out, for both of you guys."

"You're right," Mai agreed before she looked at her phone and saw the time. She missed the bus, so she'd have to walk home.

Trunks noticed her discomfort and came up with a suggestion. "Hey, text him. Tell him we decided to meet up after school to finish our project since it's due in a couple days. You can come with me to Vegeta's company. You'll love it. The building is so cool."

Mai smiled and nodded. It sounded like a good idea. Zarbon had been in a really decent mood lately, even if she didn't trust it. Now, she could use it to her advantage. Of course, Zarbon responded immediately saying that it was fine but to be home by seven. The two teenagers looked to each other, Trunks heaving a breath before grinning. "Okay, time to hit the guidance office. I'll talk the new counselor, Miss Gure. She's actually nice."

"I'll wait outside," Mai assured him. "I really hope you don't get into too much trouble."

"Eh, whatever the trouble, I'll handle it," Trunks declared. "Besides, in a few years, none of this will matter."

Mai couldn't believe the outlook Trunks had on life. He seemed so certain, so confident. Sure, he had it easier than most, but he took on all of his friends' pain and tried to make their lives better. Maybe it was because of his mother's wisdom. After all, Bulma had told Mai about her struggles and of her mother's past. Clearly, the two adults had overcome very shitty problems. Mai thought about her life and realized that there were now many different paths on the way to escape. She was starting to take them, all because she had someone like Trunks to lean on and support her. He was like an answered prayer.

* * *

They made it to the guidance office, Mai waiting outside like she promised. Trunks saw the new counselor, Miss Gure, unloading some of her stuff from boxes. He was slightly surprised to see that the woman was bald, wearing only a gray bandanna on her head, but he shook it off and lightly wrapped on the door causing the young woman to notice him. She smiled at the boy. "Well, my first visitor of the afternoon. What can I help you with?"

Trunks released a heavy sigh as he entered the office. "Welcome, Miss Gure. I'd hate to end your first day badly, but I need to confess something and it can't wait."

"Oh?" Gure replied. She moved her box on the floor and motioned for the boy to sit as she closed her door to give them some privacy. She then took a seat across from him. "What is it?"

He forced out a frustrated breath. "I did something I shouldn't, and someone else found out and is trying to hold it over one of my friends so I don't end up getting in trouble. They threatened to blow it way out of proportion and tell Ms. Snake who hasn't been the best to me and my friend, so I wanted it on the record that what she says is wrong."

Gure nodded. She had met her coworker, Ms. Snake, and she could already tell she didn't really seem to like the students there. The newly hired counselor could understand why this boy was coming to her. He seemed very mature, willing to admit his fault so that his other friend would not be put in such a difficult position. She would hear him out and punish him accordingly while maintaining some leniency for his honesty.

"I thought I was alone, and I was really curious, so when the girl's locker room emptied out, I went inside to check it out," Trunks lied. "I've always been curious what it's like in there. I admit it was stupid, but this girl is planning to tell Ms. Snake that I was in there peeping or messing around with a girl in there, and so my friend is going along with everything she says to make sure I don't get expelled or anything. It was harmless…really. Still, I'd rather face punishment than let my friend suffer to that woman."

A smile graced Gure's face. "Thank you for coming to tell me yourself," Gure stated. "You're right. This does require punishment, but I can assure you that it won't be as serious as expulsion or even suspension. I'll be making a call home to your parents-"

"Mother," Trunks corrected.

"Mother then," Gure replied. "I'll be making a call home to your mother and discuss this all with her. I think a day's detention and whatever she would like to do will be enough."

Trunks felt relieved. Considering he already had a week's detention, one extra day wasn't bad. "What's your name?"

"Oh, Trunks," he replied. "Trunks Hamasaki."

Gure turned to her computer and entered the information and saw that he was already scheduled for a week's detention. "Um, Trunks. Can you explain why you cut class and were late to another today?"

He faltered slightly, but he could already tell he was much safer talking with Gure than Ms. Snake. She wouldn't go gabbing to someone else about this, and she seemed to care about her students. "Yeah…you see, my friend Goten has really bad anxiety, and he was missing from math class, so I went to look for him and we talked about what was going on with this girl, the stuff she was trying to force him to do using me and one of our other friends. I started heading to class and ran into his brother and asked him to watch out for him. Our families are really close. Anyway, we both ended up being late to our next class, but to protect my friend's privacy, I couldn't tell anyone why I was skipping."

It was a reasonable enough answer. She could see some stuff in Trunks's file, including that he usually got caught skipping with another student, Goten Son, on occasion. She decided to quickly look at the other student's file and saw that his anxiety condition Trunks alluded to was well documented and that Goten's teachers were aware. It really seemed like this boy, Trunks, was trying to help his friend and had done something mildly wrong, maybe trying to hang onto that last thread of childish antics. He was not a troublemaker by any means.

"You let me handle this," Gure stated. "I will discuss this in confidence with the principal to get your week's detention revoked as well as explaining what happened in the locker room. It was very honorable of you to come and turn yourself in. You will still have detention for going into the girl's locker room, and I will still be calling your mother."

"She's working today," Trunks admitted. "Should I give you her work number?"

Gure beamed at the boy willing to accept his punishment. "Yes, that would be a good idea."

"Okay," Trunks replied as he had her update his contact information sheet.

When they were finished, Trunks smiled sheepishly and said goodbye to the new counselor. He was thankful that she heard him out, and now no matter what Paigen said, he was in the clear. He took out his phone and texted Goten while he and Mai headed towards the school's exit. **Hey, don't worry about Paigen anymore. I told the new counselor that I went into the locker room when I thought everyone was gone just to see what it was like. Just a day's detention and a call to mom. There's nothing to worry about.**

Goten's reply was almost instant. **You didn't have to do that. I could have handled it.**

 **You don't have to handle anything,** Trunks assured him. **Besides, now you don't have to pretend to be that bitch's boyfriend. I know you're worried about Valese, but we'll all make it through this. You're free of Paigen as of Friday when this project is due.**

 **Trunks…thank you.**

 **What are brothers for?** Trunks answered back. **Now, Mai and I are going to Ouji Corp. I'll talk to you when I'm home.**

Goten sent back a quick "ok," and then Trunks's attention shifted to Mai. "So, you ready?"

"Yeah," Mai murmured. "Let's go."

* * *

Bulma hung up her phone after speaking with Trunks's new counselor. She was relieved that they hired someone new and understanding. Miss Gure seemed very sweet, and she was already impressed with Trunks and didn't want to make things difficult for him.

She knew her son, and he didn't care about what it looked like in the girl's locker room. When he was young, she'd always brought him in with her unless Tarble or Goku were with them, only because she didn't want him going off on his own. No, she was sure that he went in to help Mai, but the fact that some girl in his school was lording that over him and his friends bothered her. Well, it looked like her son handled it. She would get the full story from Trunks when he got to the office before his shift. At least now Goten wouldn't have to worry anymore. Gure also told Bulma about how Trunks had admitted to skipping class because he was trying to help Goten process. At least she knew she had raised an honest kid.

Gure wanted to meet with her, but the time she had free Bulma was in a meeting at work. She asked if her brother could meet with her instead the following week. They then set up a subsequent appointment for after all the conference talk was over. Vegeta had been on edge and expressed the desire to bring Bulma in on the meetings. He was losing his patience with the board. It meant possibly having to sit in on meetings with Launch meaning Vegeta would be finding out about her father sooner rather than later. She was definitely sure of that.

A knock on the door broke Bulma out of her thoughts. She looked to her computer clock and saw that it was around the time Vegeta had been taking his short break. "Come in," she permitted, and her boyfriend entered the room.

"Afternoon, Miss Hamasaki," he drawled. "I take it you've had a good day."

"Can't complain," she told him, standing up from her desk. "And Miss Hamasaki? Are we still in boss mode?"

"Sort of," Vegeta replied, leaving the woman a bit perplexed. "As your boss and boyfriend, I have a request."

Bulma smirked, ready to tease him for the insinuation as she slowly walked over to him and ran her hands up his chest. "I thought we weren't mixing business and pleasure," she murmured before pressing her lips to his.

"We weren't," he admitted in a low growl, kissing her back hungrily, "but something's come up."

"Oh?" Bulma asked after she pulled away. "What is that?"

Vegeta ran his hand up the length of her spine. "You see, Bulma, this conference is kind of like a getaway for the businessmen. We get sent to a resort somewhere and are permitted to bring a date. I was planning on asking you to accompany me already as my date, but with everything going on I need you as my anchor. These tedious meetings have proven to me that I am not going to enjoy myself dealing with those other idiots."

"Ah, so you need me as both your employee and your girlfriend," Bulma stated. "I understand, and sure, Vegeta. I would be happy to go with you. I just need to make sure someone it home with Trunks for the week or that he can stay with Goku's family. It won't be a problem."

Vegeta smirked down at her. "I was hoping you'd say that."

The two pulled away from each other, and that was when Trunks and Mai showed up at the office. Both adults were surprised to see Mai there, but said nothing. "Hey, mom. Did Miss Gure call you yet?"

"She did," Bulma confirmed. "I'm going to assume you went into the girl's locker room to help Mai change for gym."

Mai blushed and looked away embarrassed. "Yeah, he did. I…I couldn't…They normally don't make me change because I wear sweats."

The mother's expression softened. "I understand, sweetie. Neither of you did anything wrong, but Trunks, that was very brave of you to come up with some sort of confession to protect Goten."

"And I am officially lost," Vegeta interjected. "What is all this about?"

Trunks looked over to his mother's boyfriend. "Well, there's this girl at school that Mai used to hang out with. She's the one who started the rumors about Mai and me sleeping together." Bulma seemed surprised to hear this, but seeing as it didn't seem to bother her son or Mai what was being said, she let it go. "Anyway, she was around the locker room when I went in to help Mai. She was paired with Goten for math, and demanded he spend time with her outside of school by threatening to tell what's going on with Valese's family and the divorce."

Now, Bulma knew about the divorce and that Valese had been very upset by it. Her parents separated at the end of the previous year, and it had been a very messy struggle. Both parents were planning on staying in the area, but both were trying to get sole physical custody while the other parent only had visitation. Valese had kept quiet about it except from Goten who had confided in his father who had then in turn told Bulma, and the woman remembered how tough it was when her mother and stepfather divorced. It angered her that some kid would actually try to make things difficult for a girl already going through so much, and for Goten who had enough on his plate as it was.

"Anyway, Valese didn't care if anyone found out at school and told Goten not to give into her, but then she said she'd go to Ms. Snake and tell her I went into the locker room to either peep or have sex with Mai on school grounds. I would have gotten in a lot of trouble, and you know Ms. Snake has is out for us. I was trying to think of a way around it, and then I remembered hearing that Miss Gure started today, so I took a chance and altered my story slightly to keep Mai's secret safe, too. Paigen was trying to force Goten to date her."

"Pathetic," Vegeta scoffed out. "In any case, it's over now, and there's a lot to do today. I'd like you to take a look at a few things for me, Trunks."

"Yeah, that's fine," the teenager replied. He turned to Mai and said, "You can stay here with mom and I'll come see you at my break."

"Okay," Mai answered, smiling. She looked to the CEO and said, "It was good to see you again, Vegeta."

"You too," the man stated before he and Trunks left.

Bulma and Mai were left alone, the older woman standing. "Make yourself comfortable. I'm just going to run to the restroom for a moment. Feel free to help yourself to some snacks and something to drink."

"Thank you," Mai acknowledged before she started looking around the office. It was a nice place, and Bulma had brought in a couple of plants, paintings, and furniture. She even had pictures of Trunks and her friends and their families on her desk. Mai's eyes widened when she saw the girl she had known from her last school, Marron nicknamed Rice, and her parents. Now she knew who Bulma had spoken to about her situation. It really was a small world.

As Mai looked out into the city, Bulma's phone rang. She didn't know how long Bulma would be, but she figured the person would leave a message. The phone stopped ringing, so it didn't matter anyway. She was watching cars drive by below as the phone started to ring again. This time, she went to the desk and answered the call.

"Miss Hamasaki's office, how may I help you?" she greeted not noticing that Bulma had entered the room again in that moment. "She's unavailable at the moment. Can I take a message?" There was a pause and then Mai reached for a piece of paper and took down the caller's information. "I understand. She'll be in touch as soon as she returns to the office. Have a nice day."

Mai hung up the phone and noticed Bulma standing in the doorway. "Uh…someone called twice. I hope it's okay that I answered."

"It is," Bulma assured her. "You did really well with that."

"Thanks," Mai mumbled, smiling sheepishly.

Bulma took the message and saw that it was one of the girls working under her calling to ask about the information she sent her on the gravity simulator. The blue-haired woman looked to her son's friend and smiled. "Mai, are you still looking for a job?"

"Yeah," she stated. "I know I just applied, but I really want to get something to start saving so that I can be ready when I apply to be emancipated."

"Let me talk to Vegeta," Bulma offered. "I could use an assistant, anyway, especially since Vegeta and I will be gone for a week to that conference."

Mai jolted, being reminded of the conference. "Actually, Zarbon told me he was going to a conference in a couple of weeks," Mai informed her. "Trunks and I were going to tell you I could stay over."

"Wow, I didn't expect that your stepfather would be there," Bulma responded hesitantly before her calm demeanor returned. "That's find, Mai. I'll make sure the two of you are left with money so you can buy whatever food you'd like to eat and can get started on decorating your room. I'll see if Tarble or my mother is willing to stay with the two of you."

"Does your mother know about me?" Mai asked, clearly nervous about the idea.

"She does," Bulma admitted. "I tell my mother everything, but she knows to keep quiet. She's no stranger to complicated situations. Anyway, it might be better if she stayed with you two. I'll call her tonight."

"Okay," Mai breathed out. "So, you'd really want me as your assistant?"

"I would really like that, especially since it would help us both and it's a private enough place that there would be no risk of Zarbon finding out."

"When you put it like that…"

"Just let me go. I'll be right back."

Mai nodded, and Bulma left to go speak to Vegeta. The woman's idea wasn't actually a bad one, and she would be working with Trunks, too, which was always a plus. Bulma wouldn't be hard on her, and she'd be understanding if something happened where Mai couldn't get in or couldn't get around Zarbon. Bulma would work with her, and Mai didn't believe she could get that at another job. This would be her only choice.

* * *

Lime was finishing up for the day when Raditz came to her cubicle. "Hey," he greeted smoothly.

"Hello, Raditz," Lime greeted sweetly with a smile.

The two of them had met in the cafeteria one day in the lunch line, and he had engaged in conversation with her. He had then been stuck debating on what to get, so Lime used her sales skills and convinced him to choose one over the other. They had decided to eat together, and then they found out that they both knew Bulma and what a small world it was. They started comparing stories about their friendship with the woman, and then conversations shifted elsewhere, solely about them and their families.

Eventually, they had formed a routine, eating lunch together and talking about random things. Raditz didn't seem to mind that she had two boys, and he actually asked about them too. Likewise, Lime didn't mind that Raditz had a string of flings behind him, though she wasn't actively looking to pursue him, anyway. He wasn't a bad guy, but he was still pretty impish.

"So, Vegeta and I have to go to this boring conference in a little over a week," he started. "It's at a beach resort. I was hoping you'd like to accompany me."

That startled the woman. "Raditz, I barely know you, and what can I do with my sons? They have school and I have no one to watch them."

"You know me plenty," he said in response, "and I could always ask my mom. She had plenty of practice with me and my brother and my nephews."

"Raditz, I don't know…I-"

He interrupted her by taking her hand and placing a soft kiss upon it. She felt herself heat up, blush covering her face as he simpered. "Just think about it. We have time. In the meantime, I'd like to ask you out for dinner tonight."

Lime was flabbergasted, but then she chuckled. "Oh Raditz, you do things so backwards. You're supposed to ask me out first and then to take a long trip together."

Raditz just shrugged. "What can I say? I'm untraditional."

"You are," Lime teased. "That's fine. Let me just call the sitter to ask if she can stay longer tonight."

"Not a problem," Raditz remarked. "I'll be in my office. I trust you know the number?"

He was speaking so smoothly and arrogantly that it caused Lime to snort a laugh. "Alright, Casanova. I've got your number. Just go. I have work to do."

"Sounds good to me," Raditz replied. "Just don't wait too long. If I get pulled into another meeting, I want to say I have plans so it can't run late."

"Fine, alright," Lime answered waving him off nonchalantly. After he left she got on making her calls all the while wondering what force of nature was controlling her to go against what she had thought she already told herself after she met the man.

To her, Raditz should be off limits.

* * *

Vegeta had brought Trunks up to his office and handed him the stack of resumes and applications. "I would like you to look through these and narrow it down to ten people for me to review before they're to be passed on to another," the CEO instructed.

Stunned, Trunks accepted the pile of papers. He couldn't believe what Vegeta was tasking him with. It wasn't the same as just reviewing something another employee wrote for practice. These were real applications for real people, and Vegeta had just asked him to determine who he thought would be best suited for a position. He had people's lives and futures in his hands. "Uh…I don't suppose this is another training exercise…"

Vegeta smirked, leaning back in his chair casually. "If you wish to think of it as one, yes, but I actually am interested in seeing who you believe would be best suited for that position you reviewed for yesterday." Trunks's mouth dropped open, a guilty look in his eyes. "Don't feel bad. The person was hired to bring down the company. Because of one of my father's old employees, I am not in charge of hiring in certain departments. This man wants the company for himself, and so he hired some people that may not be qualified. This was the resume for the man you reviewed for yesterday."

Trunks took the paper Vegeta handed to him and couldn't believe the experience listed. What was an actor doing applying for a positon like that at a major corporation? He had no experience with technology or writing. From the looks of it, Vegeta was right. "You, a high school student, were able to see through the bullshit and construct a better document that was actually read off in our meeting today. You summarized our product well, and the problems individuals had been having with it. Your mother's team has already come up with ways to solve those issues."

"That doesn't surprise me," Trunks beamed. "And wow…I…what if I choose wrong?"

Vegeta's expression grew serious as he sat back up. "I trust your judgement, Trunks."

Trunks was taken aback, but he kept his cool. To be honest, he was elated to hear Vegeta say something like that. He and Vegeta only spoke a handful of times, and each time the boy felt like they were becoming a little bit closer. He actually felt comfortable talking to Vegeta about the bullshit of high school. He stilled talked to his mother, but she didn't need to worry herself with the pettiness. He told his mother the stuff he felt each day, but he could tell Vegeta the random events and about the idiots at school without filtering himself. Every time he spoke, Vegeta listened, even if he probably had better things to do than listen to a teenager kvetch.

He didn't want to be an annoying kid, so he didn't try to gush over Vegeta. There were times his overarching respect poured out of him, but he tried to taper down his emotions. Vegeta seemed to be pretty good at controlling his and probably wouldn't appreciate emotional outbursts from a teenager. Trunks tried to contain himself, and somehow he had fallen into an understanding with Vegeta where he could speak freely about things and confide in the man. And now, Vegeta claimed to have that same respect, a trust in Trunks and his judgement, and he was not about to waste it.

"I won't let you down, Vegeta," he promised.

The man nodded, waving the boy off to complete his new assignment. There had been something in Trunks's eyes, an emotion that he had been all too familiar with. Trunks was trying to make him proud. He knew that Trunks probably had a work ethic like his mother, and so the first task he assigned him, he assumed his nerves were over making a good first impression. Now, it seemed so much deeper, and Vegeta felt uneasy over what that meant.

He knew Trunks did not have a father. He knew that he was dating his mother and that Trunks had this admiration for him. He knew the boy had probably always craved a father figure despite probably denying it or never even noticing it his whole life. He also knew that if he continued down this new path that he had been taking, he would be the boy's stepfather. He would be a father.

He had already known that, but it fully hit him now. It didn't perturb him, only left him thinking about if he'd be a disappointment to Trunks. The boy was nearly an adult, but he still had the heart of a child. He did his best not to talk down to him, treating him like an equal, but even so, Trunks had him on a higher level. He wanted Vegeta to take pride in him even if Vegeta had nothing to do with his upbringing. Trunks would look to him for praise, adulation, and acceptance. He could give them to the boy, but he didn't know if he was ready to accept the implication. It was too soon for something like that.

He couldn't be a father to the son of a woman he had just started to date. Could he?

It hadn't been long since they had become a couple, yet he had already spent a night at her place, and she had spent the night at his place. Weeks. They had only been dating for weeks, and he was already wanting to have a life with the woman and her son, to be a parent to a child that wasn't his, and it was completely unlike him. He couldn't make sense of his own desires, but unlike his emotions in the past he couldn't ignore them. He needed to figure it out.

"Done!" the teenager chimed, re-entering the office.

Vegeta flinched, blinking at the boy appearing out of nowhere. Trunks gaped at him, but then smiled and handed him the pages. The CEO was surprised by how quickly Trunks had finished the task. "I think these ten would be your best option," he spoke. "I mean, the others were okay, but some of them had no experience in this type of field. They would probably be good for an entry level position, but this is too specialized for them."

The adult nodded to his woman's son and briefly glanced over the resumes. He was satisfied with the boy's suggestions and sent him along with a simple "thank you." It wasn't complete adulation, but Trunks seemed happy to receive gratitude and went back to his desk. Well, at least he didn't have to deal with the annoyance. He knew if he had been reviewing the applications, he wouldn't have had a clear head. Just thinking about what Paragus had attempted to do was making his blood boil. Vegeta hating resorting to threats, especially since he had no problems with Paragus's son, but it had been necessary to get the man to back down. Despite that, Vegeta didn't plan on making a habit of that. He didn't want to turn into his father.

Maybe he should take a page from the teenager's book. He handled himself well with the conflict with that female.

"Trunks, get back in here," he called out.

Trunks was in his office seconds later. "Something wrong?"

"No," Vegeta ascertained. "Take a seat. I want to get your advice on something."

"What?" Trunks replied dazed.

"The issue with Paragus," he stated, "how would you handle it?"

It took Trunks a minute to get over his initial shock. "I…uh…what is the full situation?"

Vegeta had expected him to ask, as he well should before making a final decision. "Paragus was my father's yes man. He did everything my father wanted, won his favor, and he had hoped to one day inherit the company. He had expected as much when my father passed, not expecting for him to have a son. Since I have come to the company, he has tried to purposefully infuriate me so that I would react harshly. He's given your mother grief because I hired her to be my anchor and she thwarts his attempts to rile me up. Now, he's convinced the board to allow him special permissions to hire employees, and you see what happened with that. He wants the company to fail in my hands."

"Has he hired anyone else?"

"Yes, a girl in customer service," Vegeta stated.

Trunks thought on it for a moment. "Maybe talk to the girl, see if she's qualified, and if she isn't ask why she applied for the job. See what she says and go from there. In the meantime, if you have a copy of the other guys report, submit it anonymously with his resume to all the board members. Do they know Paragus hired him?"

"They do," Vegeta clarified.

"Then they'll see that something is fishy, and maybe they'll keep a closer eye on Paragus," Trunks stated. "Sure, Paragus will probably assume it's you, but it could be anyone from human resources, or even someone from his department."

"That sounds like as good of a plan as any," Vegeta acknowledged. "I told Paragus I would have this selection of resumes ready for him today."

"Tell him you were busy managing a company and wanted more time to select a final cut," Trunks suggested. "It doesn't need to be done today, right?"

"True," Vegeta agreed. "I will take all of that into consideration and will most likely be implementing your idea. Make some copies of the article and the former employee's resume."

Trunks saluted him before taking his leave. His energy, Vegeta decided, was to be admired, and his cunning was staggering. To think this teenager could come up with a viable plan where it didn't look like he was trying to stir the pot while bringing attention to the issue was impressive. He had wanted to bring attention to the farce knowing the board would be completely against it, but if he was the one to make the complaint Paragus would certainly make him look like a whiny brat. That was clearly how Paragus saw him, well, a brat and not necessarily whiny.

Well, he had his solution, and hopefully the board would see what Paragus was trying to do. In the meantime, Vegeta wouldn't worry about it. He would just focus on the conference, the fact that Bulma would be accompanying him.

It was the first conference he was actually looking forward to.


	20. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

Something was truly off.

Trunks was pacing in his room in the morning, rain pouring down outside. He hated rainy days, especially if he had to go out. His mood was always down on those days, and the fact that Mai hadn't answered his text that morning bothered him greatly.

It had been a couple days since he had brought Mai to Ouji Corp. His mother had gone into Vegeta's office, asking to make Mai her assistant. The woman didn't have to fight to convince him. Vegeta was willing to give Mai a job knowing his company would be her best chance. She could work it as a paid internship like Trunks so that their school would not need to be notified. It couldn't get back to Zarbon.

Three days after, Mai had been just as uneasy as she was before they went to rest in the nurse's office. Even his own touch made Mai jump, and that had never happened before. Trunks wondered if something had happened, but when he asked her Mai just said she was fine. That made his stomach drop. Why did Mai seem to be withdrawing again? Was it just him?

The teenager rolled out of bed, changing into warm clothes. His mind also went to Goten. Thankfully, his own confession had worked to his advantage. Miss Gure overheard Paigen speaking with Ms. Snake and stepped in explaining what Trunks had said. Ms. Snake still thought of him as a troublemaker, but Paigen was derailed. Goten was fine.

Just for a few seconds.

Valese had entered the school, and immediately other students were asking her about the divorce. Some were empathetic, and others turned it into a scandal. The girl was bothered, but she focused on her classwork and her friends. Goten, now having dealt with his stress, was able to help her and talk her through the day. It even seemed like the medicine was working. Since everything with Paigen happened, the two of them had been spending more time together. That at least made Trunks feel relief.

He tried to ignore this heavy, overwhelming feeling. He hardly ever got stressed out to the extent where it would fully affect his mood. His concern for his friends had finally caught up with him. Well, the week was almost over. It was Friday, after all. The weather was probably affecting his mood, too, so he told himself he just needed to get through the day. He picked up his phone checking the time. His brows furrowed. Mai still hadn't texted him back.

Slowly, he made his way down the stairs to see his uncle eating breakfast. His uncle hadn't fully moved out yet due to some logistics with his friend's landlady. His stuff was all there, but he was staying with them until the following Monday. Everything would be finalized then.

He overheard his mother talking on the phone as he walked down the stairs. "Launch, I thought we went over this," Bulma said in a huff. "I understand what you're saying, but I don't want to hear it. He has nothing to do with this, and I just don't want to go over this again. I'm trying to protect us both, so just drop it."

Trunks was surprised. His mother hadn't spoken to Launch like that around him ever. He knew the woman would occasionally bring up his grandfather, attempting to get the blue-haired woman to listen. Brow furrowed and eyes narrowed. Bulma didn't need to go through it all again. She didn't need to relive her past. It had been so long. Launch needed to drop it.

The teenager continued down the stairs, making his presence known in the kitchen. He startled his mother, but the woman clearly didn't mind as she gave her stepmother a new excuse to go. "Launch, I need to go. Trunks just came down so I need to get started on breakfast. We're on a time limit." The woman on the other line responded. "Yeah, fine…I'll call you in a few days. We have a busy weekend ahead."

Bulma hung up the phone before sighing in frustration. She was relieved that Trunks had been the one to come downstairs instead of Tarble or she would have ended up having a long discussion that would have made her late to a meeting. Pushing that down, she put on a happy face. "Good morning, sweetie," she greeted, but when she turned and saw Trunks she frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Trunks replied, crossing his arms on the table. "I just feel off today. I hate the rain."

"I know," Bulma murmured, her voice a little lighter as she moved to ruffle her boy's hair. That managed to pull a slight smile from him. "What would you like for breakfast?"

"Are eggs okay?" Trunks requested.

"Sure, scrambled or over medium?"

"Scrambled."

"You got it, kid," Bulma assured.

The mother quickly whipped them both up some eggs and toast, making Trunks a hot chocolate to hopefully improve his mood. Like her son, she wasn't a fan of heavy rain. Rainy days always made her feel off, usually upset over nothing or just plain irritable, and minor annoyances could only make it worse. Launch calling her so early in the morning, her house phone so that she had no choice but to answer to avoid waking anyone else in the apartment, trying to get her to talk about her father was one of those annoyances. It wasn't new. She did love Launch. Unfortunately, Bulma's patience ran thin whenever she mentioned that discussion she promised would be in Bulma's hands.

The excuse the older woman gave was that she feared Bulma was making rash choices and not forming a healthy attachment to a man. She was worried that Bulma's opinion and memories of her father had caused her to jump into an unhealthy relationship. Even if that were true, it was Bulma's choice to make. She was an adult, and her father was not in control of her relationship choices…well, except actually telling Vegeta who the man was.

She was planning on it. Vegeta had surprised her suggesting that he take her and Trunks away for the weekend. Bulma suspected that he had asked because they would be going on a weeklong trip alone in just one week. It was a big step for them to take, and it probably overwhelmed him. Bulma was certainly feeling the gravity of it.

They were moving very fast, too fast, but Bulma wasn't sure she wanted to stop it. Vegeta was very swiftly becoming a huge part of her life. She trusted him and had very strong feelings for him. To be honest, she could see them having a future, and that meant he needed to know everything.

He needed to know that Dr. Trunks Briefs, the man he idolized, was her father. He needed to know that Launch was her overbearing stepmother. He needed to know that Tarble knew nothing about the man's actions towards her, that she would take it all to her grave as long as he didn't need to see their father in such a negative light.

She was going to tell him.

Bulma had it planned out. They were going away for the weekend to a log cabin. She knew Trunks would be so excited, most likely exploring nature, and she could get Vegeta alone. She was going to tell him this weekend, allow their relationship to move forward. That was the plan. Her nerves were still getting to her, but she would get it out just like Vegeta had about Ella.

The mother and son finished their breakfast, ending Bulma's self-reflection. She planned to drive Trunks to his bus stop to shelter him from the rain just a little longer. Trunks waved to her as he ran to the bus, and she waited until the yellow vehicle was out of sight. It was time to get to work, she told herself, and then after she could be alone with her two boys for a whole weekend.

That sounded amazing.

* * *

Mai was alone at her locker looking to her shaking hands. She felt so awful from Zarbon's newest game, and this shakiness had yet to leave her despite the fact that it had only been a one time deal. It had to be attributed to her nerves and anxiety. She knew she was becoming paranoid. Looking around, she hid herself behind her locker door to gather her belonging for her first few classes. Swiftly, she stood up and closed the door turning around only to nearly crash into Trunks. He had startled her, obviously, as she let out a yelp and dropped her books around them.

The two heard other students snickering and laughing, Trunks glaring at them as he slowly dropped to the ground to help Mai gather her books. To Mai's protest, he grabbed her books with is, and he smirked when she pouted. He offered her his hand, but she did not accept it. Instead, she kept her arms crossed to hide her trembling hands. "I'm glad to see you," Trunks stated, breaking the deafening silence between them. His voice was soft, and she picked up on his relieved tone. "You didn't text last night."

"Yeah," Mai whispered, but said nothing more.

Trunks exhaled. "What happened, Mai?"

"It's…" Mai started to say before she silenced herself. Trunks was looking at her expectantly, and she knew she couldn't ignore him. "It's nothing."

"Mai, really?" Trunks grumbled. "I know what he's doing to you. You can't hide it from me anymore. What did that bastard do to you?"

"Trunks, please…please just drop it," she begged.

But he wouldn't, only because Mai needed to talk these things out. He knew he couldn't force things, but Mai had broken her promise. He had been terrified the majority of the night thinking that something terrible had happened to her. "Mai, it's okay. I'll listen."

"I know. I don't want to talk about it," she said monotonously trying to maintain her old, indifferent façade.

"Don't do this again," Trunks begged. "Mai, we've already gotten past that point."

"Later," she attempted to pacify quickly reaching for the books in his arms. "Now give me my books."

Trunks gently grabbed one of her hands and felt the quivering. He noticed that her other hand was doing the same thing. "Mai?"

The girl looked down, ashamed. "It's…Trunks, I can't. It's so humiliating."

"Mai," he whispered comfortingly, "you can tell me. I won't judge, and if you want I will do my best not to react. What happened?"

Mai sucked in a breath of air. "So…there was a reason Zarbon was being nice," Mai stated. "His boss expressed a warning that if he kept coming after me before I healed that people would start to ask questions again like they did at my last school. So, Zarbon was basically just listening to his boss and letting me have more time to heal. A couple days ago, though, he got something new that makes it so that he can cause me slight pain without making any more visible injuries."

"What?" Trunks pressed, ready to hear whatever she had to say.

She didn't say anything. Instead, Mai gently lifted her sweatshirt sleeves up revealing her burned wrists. Trunks looked between her wrists and eyes in horror. She looked so completely distraught. "What caused this?" he demanded to know. "And…and have you been treating them?"

"It's hard with my hands shaking so much," Mai answered. "And…Zarbon, he got these things…they're like shock collar but he put them on my wrists. I tried to fight him off, but I'm still in so much pain from last time, so I couldn't…"

"Mai…seriously…this guy is a nutcase. He's electrocuting you?"

"Shocking is more of what it is," she explained. "He set it to a low setting like I'm a damn dog. I think he's trying to get me to be less defiant. He doesn't like it when I fight back. But he said he was only doing that this one time to straighten me out."

"You can't go back," Trunks said feeling like a broken record. "Mai, this is fucking sick. He's not right in the head."

"You don't think I know that?" Mai nearly shouted before backing down slightly. She looked away from her friend. "I know that better than anyone."

"Then you know you need to get as far away from him as possible," Trunks argued.

"It's not that simple!"

Trunks backed up slightly, confused by the outburst and Mai's anger being directed towards him. He knew she was on edge and instantly felt ashamed at having pushed her so much. He was just so scared for her, and he didn't know what to do with that. "Mai, I..."

"Just shut up," she growled. "Trunks, you just don't get it. You keep telling me to get away, but you have no idea just what he could do to me. It's not easy. It's not simple. You can't fix it, but I shouldn't be surprised that you think you can solve everything. Wake up! No one can have as perfect a life as you."

That cut Trunks so deeply, but he couldn't let it show. He forced himself to appear unaffected, indifferent, much like the expression Vegeta wore a lot of the time. His mind was attempting to remind himself that Mai most likely didn't mean it, though his fists clenched in rage. He honestly felt betrayed, to hear someone he cared about say something so insensitive. "My life isn't perfect, Mai," he grunted evenly. "If it appears that way, it's because my mother did her best to make sure I didn't have a childhood like hers. I'm lucky. I've never denied it, but if you think for a second that it's perfect, then I guess you don't know me as well as I thought you did. I'll get some cream from the nurse before math to take care of your wrists. Hope class goes well for you until then."

With that, Trunks walked away from Mai, the girl's eyes still narrowed while inside she felt like crying. She hadn't meant to say that at all. Never had she thought that about Trunks, but his words were doing little to soothe her anxiety. Now she hurt him, and it was so clear by the look on his face. She noticed his clenched fists, though she knew he would not hurt her. His words cut her just as deeply as her words had him, and now she felt terrible, even more so considering he still wanted to help her despite that attack.

She needed to apologize.

He didn't make it easy for her. Quite the opposite, actually. He had given Goten the stuff for her wrists telling his friend exactly what to do. When Mai asked Goten where Trunks was, he hesitated to answer. She knew then that Trunks had most likely gone somewhere she couldn't find him, or even skipped school. It felt like a weight was crushing her chest at the thought of Trunks feeling so distressed, her being the cause.

What had she done?

* * *

Trunks was furious. He couldn't believe that anyone dared to say his life was perfect. He didn't need someone to tell him what he already felt guilty over. His mother had given him everything, and she had given up so much for him to do it. He did his best to make things easy on the woman, but he knew he was a handful. She had been working that shit job just to make sure he was taken care of without having to dip into the money she saved him for college. Hell, she had given up her ability to have kids for him, even if she told him otherwise. He felt guilty any time he expressed desire for something he didn't have, like a father for example, because his mother had done so much for him just so he would have it easy.

Life was good for him, there was no denying that. Sometimes he felt remorse for not having it harder like Goten did, or even Mai once he learned of her situation. He knew he could offer advice, but he couldn't relate to it. How could he reassure Goten about every day anxiety when he had very little? How could he understand just how much pain Mai was in considering no one had ever laid a hand on him? He could empathize just like his mother, but he couldn't use life experience because his experience was good. His mother could relate to the emotional abuse side of things, the shame, but Trunks had never felt shame in anything except for, as Mai put it, having a perfect life.

He punched a rock, cutting up his fist but not caring. What could he do to alleviate this anger? The rain beating down on him clearly wasn't helping matters. Maybe he should just go home. He didn't think his mom would mind once he told her what happened later. He needed to know how to proceed. He wouldn't turn his back on Mai. He already knew he couldn't do that if he even tried. He loved her, after all. No, he needed to know how to fix things even though he was so pissed off. Again, it wasn't Mai's fault. To her, it probably looked like he led the most charmed life.

His stomach roiled making him feel very ill. He ignored that feeling, trying to swallow it down, though as he walked home he realized that his eyes were burning and it was getting really hard to breathe. Whatever was trying to consume him, he fought against, and eventually he made it back to the apartment. He could see his uncle's car and mother's car there. Good…at least he wouldn't be alone.

The news was on in the living room. Trunks could hear the sounds emitted from the television. He could hear his mother speaking casually, Vegeta's soft grunts her answer. The boy smiled. At least his mother was having a good day.

He approached the living room seeing that his mother and her boyfriend were eating lunch. So, they were on their break. He didn't want to disrupt his mother, not with his drama. If she realized he was home having left school grounds without permission, it would interrupt their peace. He didn't want that.

As he started to ascend the stairs, he flinched and froze after hearing what had just come on the news.

" _Today marks Capsule Corporation's fiftieth anniversary,"_ the broadcaster said. _"It's been over twenty years since corporate manager, Trunks Briefs, passed away do to a tragic accident. To this day, all charities he started when he took the position have continued to aid children of broken homes and families. He will always be honored for all her did."_

Bulma grew insanely quiet, picking up the remote and shutting off the T.V. She became pensive, but Vegeta misread her actions. He assumed that she had related to the issue as her father had died in a car accident back then as well. To try to soothe her, he decided to speak about the positive aspect of the man's death. "At least they continued his work," Vegeta reminded her. "He was a truly honorable man."

The woman jolted slightly, but she said nothing. She never told Vegeta her connection to the man, so he didn't realize how much his words shook her. It was like being at the man's wake all over again, her stepmother's mother trying to comfort her saying her father was so honorable. She shook her head fighting back the tears, but her emotional journey was cut short when she heard her son yell, "Shut up!"

Both adults looked over to the staircase to see Trunks standing there, his fists clenched and shaking. They were surprised he was there, Bulma more so since she had dropped him off at school. He was dripping wet from having come home in the rain. As his mother, she could tell something was up. Her son would never leave school unless having a reason.

She didn't even get a chance to ask as Trunks snapped his head towards them, glaring daggers at Vegeta. The older man was not used to receiving that look from the boy. His fury was never directed at him. He never even thought Trunks could experience such rage. Vegeta stood up. He needed to confront this. He didn't know what he had said to set the boy off, but they needed to talk it out. "Trunks…"

"Don't even talk to me," the teenager growled. "You…you know nothing about that bastard, the things he's truly done."

"Trunks," Bulma said warningly. "You know what we've said about that kind of language. Come down here and we can all talk."

His anger shifted to his mother. "You're really defending him? After what he just fucking said?"

Bulma was stunned into silence. Trunks never spoke to her like that, and to be honest she now understood how her mother felt hearing her curse. "Don't talk to your mother like that," Vegeta scolded, not willing to tolerate the behavior. He knew he wasn't a parent, but Bulma didn't deserve to be spoken to in that manner. "And what did I say that was so bad?"

"You said that monster was honorable!" Trunks shouted. "He didn't know the meaning of honor. He was an asshole, a cold-hearted monster who didn't care what his actions and words cost to his own daughter."

"Daughter?" Vegeta had heard rumors back when he died about Trunks Briefs's daughter, but he hadn't followed the story dealing with his own grief and issues. "Trunks, what are you talking about?"

"Trunks Briefs was a jerk," Trunks snapped, tears of pent up rage from the day threatening to be released. "He didn't give a shit about his family. All he cared about was making himself look good while he fucked with people's lives behind the scenes. He stopped talking to his family, made his daughter feel like shit, like she was a mistake all because he couldn't take responsibility for something that had happened when he was in college. All those 'good deeds' can never erase what he put her through!"

After his outburst, Trunks ran down the stairs and back out the door, ignoring his mother calling his name. Bulma was frozen, nearly numb over what just happened. She didn't even notice her brother exiting his room until she heard his soft and compassionate voice. "Bulma?"

Vegeta's attention snapped up to the man, his eyes widening in recognition before he looked over to Bulma. She was shaking, looked completely terrified. "How…how much did you hear?" she asked Tarble weakly.

"Well…" Tarble murmured looking off to the side, "my hearing aids are in, so everything. Is…is what he said…?"

"Tarble, I'm sorry," Bulma replied, "but I need to go find Trunks. He's really upset and now he's run God knows where. Can you stay here and wait for him?"

Tarble's expression turned serious as he nodded. "Of course. Bulma, later…we can talk about it later."

"Thank you," the woman replied, forcing herself not to cry in pure relief. Tarble was willing to hear her out and wasn't yelling at her or distrusting what he had overheard. That was a better scenario than she could have hoped for. She turned to Vegeta. "I…I need to go find my son. I'll call you later."

She was about to leave her apartment, attempting to put as much distance between the two of them as possible. Vegeta stopped her by grabbing her arm, his touch gentle. Bulma searched his eyes questioningly. "You're a wreck, woman," he pointed out. "I'll…I'll drive."

Bulma felt her heart twist feeling completely overwhelmed but thankful. She knew how difficult it must be for Vegeta to offer to drive after avoiding cars for so long in his life. "Okay," she accepted, the couple quickly leaving the apartment. Trunks was on foot in the rain. He couldn't have gotten far.

Still, Bulma had no idea where he could have gone.

* * *

They searched for over an hour, Bulma trying her best not to panic. She knew Trunks hated when people praised her father, but he never acted like this. There had to be more to his day than that, and Bulma was concerned that he might have been pushed too far. What if he fell somewhere? What if he ran into the road without looking? What if-?

"Stop that right now, woman," Vegeta admonished, breaking her free from her horrid thoughts. "I'm sure the boy is fine. He is not an idiot. He's probably at a coffee shop somewhere staying out of the rain."

"I don't know," Bulma nearly whined, though it sounded more like a straggled sob. "He's…he's not at Goku's. He didn't go back to school. Mom said she hasn't seen him. He won't pick up his phone. What if he's hurt?"

"Woman, he'll be okay," Vegeta attempted to reassure. "We'll find him."

"Oh God, I hope so," she pleaded. She looked up to the dark sky with wet eyes. "Please, please let him be okay."

Vegeta didn't know what else to do or say. Bulma was so distraught, and he couldn't blame her. Her son had had such an outburst, and now both he and her brother overheard Trunks's slanders against his namesake. Gears were starting to turn and click into place, remembering all the stories Bulma had told him about the man her father was. She had warned him that the man had pained her so much, but was a good father to her brother and kept a positive image of himself. She never wanted her brother to know, never wanted to slander her father, and now he understood more than ever why Bulma and Launch had that blowout at work.

He knew she wasn't lying. Vegeta was no stranger to parents trying to pass themselves off as perfect while destroying their kid behind the scenes. He had always respected Dr. Trunks Briefs because he was portrayed as an amazing father who would do anything for children, the complete opposite to his own father, but Vegeta only had the news to go by. He never knew the man personally.

Had Bulma been afraid to tell him? He had asked her if she were afraid of people finding out, and she only mentioned her brother, yet she had kept him in the dark as well. She was beginning to trust him, and she had expressed the desire to tell him the other night when she was intoxicated. Still, she hadn't told him, and he couldn't help but think that maybe his admiration of the man had kept her from trusting that he wouldn't think her a liar. He had to make sure that she knew he saw her no differently.

"It doesn't change anything," he told her. He knew Bulma could tell what he meant. "I believe everything he said. You can't make up that kind of emotion, neither of you."

"Vegeta…" Bulma weakly croaked. "I can't…I just can't talk about him right now. I need to find Trunks. He's all I care about. I…I can't lose him. I need to make sure he's all right."

Her boyfriend nodded. "Can you think of any place he'd go? A place where he feels at peace and can be alone? Somewhere you wouldn't think to look?"

It couldn't be the park, Bulma told herself, for she had always brought Trunks there when he was younger, either going to the playground to let him blow off steam or to go to the other side where they could be alone and just sit on a bench talking. There weren't really many places to go within walking distance of their home where Trunks could be alone. Then, it hit her. "The harbor. Go to the harbor."

Vegeta turned at the corner, taking in her instruction as he navigated the city streets. He was surprised he remembered how to get around the city area. He never frequented the city when he was younger. His family lived in the outskirts, and he really only went into the city for school. He was used to the suburban area where he and Ella had lived. To be able to remember how to get around having been away for decades was startling, but he didn't question it. Right now, he had to focus on helping Bulma find her son. It was the least he could do for her after being part of the cause of this mess.

They reached the harbor, and Bulma instantly shot out of the car with Vegeta keeping up with her. She could see in the distance a form sitting at the edge of the pier hunched over and shaking. Her speed increased, needing to see if it was Trunks, and to her complete and utter relief it was.

Bulma embraced her shaking son, hearing him sob though the rain made it difficult to distinguish between the droplets and his tears. He was so cold and shaking, coughing. She pressed her lips to his forehead and found that he was burning up. Had he stayed out in the rain the whole time they were searching?

"I-I'm s-sorry," he apologized weakly. "I'm sorry."

"Sh," Bulma cooed. "Let's go home, Trunks. You're sick."

"I-I shouldn't h-have," he tried to get out, but he ended up burying himself against his mother's chest. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she told him. "Trunks, you didn't do anything wrong, okay? Let's just get you out of the rain. We can talk at home."

"Why?" he cried weakly. "Why are you so damn understanding?" Bulma gaped at her son as he pulled away. "It's…I don't understand. I'm never going to be able to understand them, either. She said as much."

"Trunks, you aren't making any sense," Bulma responded. "What are you talking about? Who said what?"

"Mai," Trunks admitted. "She said my life is perfect and that I'd never be able to understand what she's going through. She's right. Her and Goten suffer so much, but me…I have you and you've never hurt me."

"Oh Trunks," Bulma pulled him back to her. "Your life isn't perfect. No one's is. You feel that same fear when you worry about your friends. You empathize with them and get worked up and anxious when you don't hear from them. You may not have lost a parent, but I know you've always wanted a father. You don't need to suffer like we did or do to understand us. You have a big heart and you try to take on all of our pain. You're such a strong boy, and I couldn't be prouder of you. Sometimes people say things when they're upset and can't take our optimism. Goku used to snap at me randomly when he was confiding in me everything going on with him. He was so pessimistic back then, and when he shouted at me to just let him talk, that he didn't need the optimism in that moment, it stung and he knew it. He never meant to do or say that, but he was so on edge and couldn't control what came out. I'm sure that's what happened today."

"I didn't mean to make you worry," Trunks whispered, coughing slightly. "I didn't mean to yell at Vegeta. I'm sorry."

"Trunks, we understand," she told him looking over to Vegeta who had been waiting at the back of the pier. "We've been there before. We were your age once, after all."

Trunks nodded, but he felt a jolt run up his spine and shivered. "So…so cold," he told her.

Bulma frowned, but she kept the lightness in her voice. "I know. It's okay, baby. Let's go home."

Vegeta took that as his cue to walk up to the two and helped Trunks, holding him up as the three walked back to the car. Trunks was hugging himself shivering, trying to conserve any type of warmth. He had heard everything the boy said to his mother, and he sympathized with him. Trunks felt repentant over the fact that he had yelled at Vegeta making himself feel guilty. There was no reason for the teenager to feel guilty. Nothing he had said was wrong.

He got the boy settled in the back seat, and then he got into the car and turned up the heat to full blast directing it all towards the child. Trunks was still shivering, and even Bulma looked cold. He grabbed the woman's hand, squeezing it to support her. Her hand felt frozen, so he didn't release it as her started to drive them back to the apartment. It took about fifteen minutes to return to the place, but they had gotten there safely.

* * *

Bulma unlocked the door, letting Vegeta get Trunks inside first. The three of them were dripping water everywhere, even up the stairs as they ascended. "I'll take care of him," Vegeta offered. "You go get changed, too."

"Are you sure?" Bulma questioned softly.

Vegeta nodded and led Trunks to his room. He wasn't used to the boy being so listless. Trunks wasn't speaking or really blinking. He was just staring at a spot at the floor. Even in his room, Trunks just stood in the middle of the room as Vegeta looked for warm clothes for him. The older man left the clothes on Trunks chair. "Would you like me to give you a minute?" The teenager answered with a nod, his expression unchanging. A sigh escaped Vegeta as he crossed his arms and left to wait outside the boy's room. That was where Vegeta ran into Tarble.

"Uh…hi," Tarble greeted, albeit awkwardly as he looked at the closed door. "Is…is Trunks okay?"

"He will be," Vegeta answered before taking in the other man's features. "I was wondering when I'd meet you. I wish it wasn't like this."

"Yeah, same here," Tarble chuckled weakly. "I…I don't know what to say right now to be honest. This all took me for a loop. Just, I don't know what Bulma's told you, but if she had said anything about our father and what he did…just, thank you for taking care of her. I don't know what's going on, but now it all makes sense…why Trunks would shut down any time I mentioned a happy memory I had of him. I always thought it was because Trunks wanted to have a father. I never knew…"

"For what it's worth, Bulma didn't want to burden you with it," Vegeta explained. "She was aware you had a different relationship with the man and she didn't think it was fair to tell you, especially after what happened."

"I get it," Tarble replied, "but I still wish…it makes everything make so much sense. The reasons everyone there for Trunks's birth was skeptical when I said she should name him after dad, the reasons she was so distrustful of guys and why she chose to do it alone. What…what did he do to her?"

"That is something you will have to ask her."

At that moment, Bulma came out of her room in sweats, hair still matted from the rain. Her eyes looked distressed as she nearly knocked the two men over to get into her son's room. Trunks had already changed and was putting his phone by his bed. "I guess the pockets of the jacket you got me were waterproof," Trunks murmured quietly. "Thanks."

"Oh sweetie," Bulma whispered before she went to hug him.

Trunks flinched away from her touch. "No, wait," he said loudly which caused him to start hacking and coughing. He moved to cover his mouth. Between coughs he said, "I-I'm sick…you can't…get sick."

"Trunks, I'll be fine, okay?" she assured. "I've taken care of you for over fifteen years whenever you were sick. Now, let's get you into bed. I'm going to have Gramma come take a look at you. I'm sure she's going to say green tea and honey and vitamin C."

The boy snorted a laugh. "That sounds like Gramma," he said fondly before grimacing. "Mom, I…I really am sorry."

"Nothing to apologize for," Bulma corrected. "I'll handle whatever backlash you get from leaving early from school. Everything else, you have nothing to worry about. We aren't mad."

"Maybe you should be," Trunks retorted sadly before he turned over in bed and covered himself. He still felt cold, but he was at least now in warm clothes.

Bulma left his room, closing the door behind her and looking to her brother and boyfriend. "I…I have a lot to say to both of you, obviously, but right now…"

"It's fine," Tarble stated. "Just deal with Trunks right now. Just to let you know…Bulma, I'm not mad at you. I don't know what's going on, but there's nothing you can say that will make me angry with you."

Her heart nearly skipped a beat before a sad smile graced her features. "That…that means a lot, Tarble. Could…could you go put the kettle on?"

"Of course," Tarble agreed, beaming slightly at her. His eyes met Vegeta's again before he headed down to the kitchen leaving the couple alone.

The two stood in silence, but it was Vegeta who spoke first. "You don't need to explain anything to me, woman," he told her. "No one can understand better than me. My father…he did the same thing. Sure, I heroized Dr. Briefs, but I didn't know him."

"I was going to tell you," Bulma admitted. "Tomorrow when we were alone, at the cabin. I really, truly was. I didn't mean for you to find out like this."

"What does it matter that it happened like this?" Vegeta countered. "Bulma, it's not like I worshiped the man. I respected him, yes, but I respected the image he made. It doesn't destroy me learning that he wasn't the man I thought he was. My world was centered around him."

"I know that," Bulma responded, "but I just didn't know…I want you to trust me, so that if I told you it wouldn't seem like…like I was just blowing smoke trying to smear a man's name."

Vegeta walked up to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to his body. He held her protectively, and Bulma relaxed, lying her head on his wet shoulder. "Stupid woman," he chided. "Like I'd ever think that. It'd be pretty hypocritical of me, huh?" Bulma chuckled slightly. "So…are you all right?"

"No," she whispered, "but I will be. I just want Trunks to be okay. All of this with Mai…what she said about his life being perfect…Vegeta, he put so much pressure on himself and I didn't even see it. I worked so hard to keep him from being a perfectionist, not caring as much about grades as other parents, not forcing him to join activities or grounding him if he didn't do well. Even when he would skip classes, as long as he had a good reason I'd support him. Now, he thinks I made life too easy for him and…and what do I do?"

"Everyone has a burden, Bulma," Vegeta explained. "This just happens to be his. Once everything gets cleared up with Mai, this will go away. As you said, I'm sure she didn't mean it. When someone's life is a train wreck, they sometimes lash out. You didn't make his life too easy. He is still a hard worker, taking pride in his work. He takes on the world's problems just like his mother seems to do, and he did this watching others grow up with two parents. He loves you, no doubt, but he didn't have a strong father figure growing up. That is difficult for any child, no matter how happy they might be. You should know that, right?"

"You're right," Bulma murmured. "Oh God, you're right. I mean, I talked to him about it, but any time I did, he would always say he didn't need a father because he had me and my mom and all his uncles. As he got older, he continued to say the same thing that I just thought…"

"Like you didn't want to burden your brother, your son did not want to burden you with his troubles," Vegeta explained. "He knows he could have come to you if it got to be too much, but you had suffered so much and yet provided him with the love and support he needed. He probably didn't feel like he had a right to complain, and when Mai said that it confirmed that in his mind. It was such a sensitive issue that he couldn't handle it, much like you couldn't handle what your boss said."

"I'm sorry this happened," Bulma apologized, and Vegeta shook his head in disbelief. There was nothing to feel sorry over. "I…guess we won't be going away this weekend."

"Then we'll stay in," Vegeta replied. "I had already brought my clothes here during lunch. I guess it's a good thing we called it an early day. It's good that we were here for him, even if it was slightly chaotic. Now, we know where to go from here. We'll do whatever we need to for him."

"We?" Bulma questioned.

"I believe I made my intentions with you clear," Vegeta teased blithely. "I'm with you, and that's not going to change any time soon. Therefore, your son is also my concern as much as you are. I…I don't know if he ever would see me as a friend or father figure, but I will do right by him and you. Right now, you're both going through a lot. Let me take over for a little bit."

"Mm," Bulma hummed contently. "That sounds nice, but Vegeta…we've only been dating a couple of weeks."

"And?" the man questioned. "It works for us, so it doesn't matter how long it's been. Go call your mother, and then you're going to go rest."

"Look at you," Bulma hazily murmured. "The tough guy acting the caregiver."

Vegeta deadpanned. "I'll let that slide considering what you've been through today. Now just get on with it."

"Whatever you say, Geta."

The woman kissed his jaw softly before pulling away, Vegeta watching her with a twitching eyebrow. He scoffed at what had just occurred, the level of emotion he had shown towards this woman as well as letting her call him a ridiculous nickname. Not willing to linger anymore, he went to Bulma's room and grabbed his weekend bag so that he could change into dry clothing. At least he had had enough foresight to bring an extra outfit on account of the rain.

He changed into a pair of dark jeans and a black, long-sleeved shirt, and then he went to go check on Trunks. Tarble had brought up a cup of tea, passing Vegeta in the hall and smiling to the man before returning to his sister. Trunks was sleeping still, so Vegeta pulled his computer chair over to the boy's side. He sat and waited noticing the light of the boy's phone flicker. One of his friend's must have been texting him, maybe checking on his to see if he had gotten home safely.

Trunks stirred in his sleep, his face disturbed as he shook from what Vegeta assumed was a nightmare. He gently placed his hand on the boy's shoulder forcing Trunks awake. The teenager shot up out of bed breathing heavily before the start of a coughing fit. As the coughs died down, he noticed Vegeta at his bedside handing him the mug of tea. He eyed his mother's boyfriend timidly as he accepted the cup and sipped the hot drink.

Silence was all consuming in that room as Trunks warred with himself to say something. While the teenager's gut raged in turmoil, Vegeta was calm and waiting for him to speak and say whatever he wanted. "I messed everything up, didn't I?" he finally took the chance to ask.

"No," Vegeta answered curtly. "Nothing is messed up right now except for your health."

"You aren't mad?" The teenager was skeptical.

Vegeta shook his head. "What do I have to be mad about? You yelled at me. So what? You told me I didn't know shit. I didn't. The only thing any of us are upset about is that you ran off when you couldn't handle it. Do you know how worried we were?"

"We?" Trunks asked in the same confused manner as his mother. His eyes were hopeful, and Vegeta intended to cultivate that hope.

"I may not seem it, but I do worry at times," he confided. "All people do no matter what they try to make people believe. Sometimes it comes out in the form of someone asking repeated questions. Other times, someone needs to make twenty plans in case the first one doesn't work out. For me, I keep a cool outer façade, but anything I worry about I let change to anger, like when someone tries to screw with my father's company."

"But…you, you don't seem angry now?"

"That's because I transferred the concern to something else, distracted myself with another fear," he explained. "That's my other center, to avoid thinking about it. I buried a lot of concerns and grief deep down into my very being and distracted myself with work and pouring my energy into something completely different. Today, your mother was upset, so I offered to drive. I haven't driven a car since high school. I don't even think my license is valid anymore, but I did it anyway, to be of help and to shift my attention to a different concern. I lost my fiancé in high school to a car accident."

Trunks gawked at Vegeta, his eyes soft with empathy as he sat up to face the man. His held the hot mug in his hands to warm the appendages. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "That must have been hell for you. I…I keep thinking I'm going to lose Mai to her stepfather. That's why I was pushing her so much today. The man is sick, and I'm so scared for her. If I could take her place…I would."

"I know," Vegeta replied. "She didn't mean what she said, Trunks. In fact, she probably thinks that she's interfering with your life. She, too, feels guilty. All victims of abuse do, just like your mother. Like you, she's terrified, one, that she won't make it to her deadline, and two, that she'll lose you. Pushing people away is a defense mechanism when someone is feeling vulnerable. Did something happen that increased that feeling?"

Beside himself, Trunks nodded. "He's…he's using shock devices on her. Her wrists are burned. She said she felt humiliated by it, being treated like a dog."

Vegeta contained his anger. He couldn't believe that someone would disgrace another, especially a child, like that. He took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose. "Well, that explains a lot. She doesn't want you to see how damaged she really is. That kind of physical and psychological torture is soul crushing."

"How do you know so much about it?" Trunks questioned. Vegeta looked away.

"I haven't discussed this with anyone ever, not even your mother," he told the boy. "There was a very dark time in my life, right after Ella died, where my parents had put so much pressure on me and didn't care that I was grieving. I received my independence, then moved in with a friend. After high school, I went off on my own to school, and despite my tuition being covered, I had very little pocket money. I tried to get a job, but my father, much like your grandfather, made himself look like the perfect role model in the public eye, and many companies saw me as a disgruntled kid that had been spoiled rotten and then rebelled. I couldn't find work, and though scholarships and loans kept covering my tuition and school dorm room, I had hardly any money for food or books.

"I had this roommate who was in a gang of five flamboyant idiots, and they were looking for a pawn in their turf wars, so he made an offer to me and told me I could get enough money to live if I helped them, so I got involved in stealing, breaking and entering, illegal street fighting…all of that. I stopped caring about everything else, even school. My grades were slipping. I felt nothing. That's what got me captured by a rival gang and I was their prisoner. They thought the Ginyus would care about their member and began torturing me, humiliating me, but then they realized no one gave a shit and cut me down. Once down, despite being weak, I was able to fight back and escape, and that's when I ran into Raditz. To be honest, he and I had some classes together, but we never interacted before. If it weren't for him, I'd probably be dead.

"He was the first person I talked to about anything, though he only knew I was grieving for someone I lost. That idiot was the one who told me I needed to stop acting out and letting others control me. I hadn't realized that that was what had been happening, but that skirt chaser could see. He helped me clean up my broken life, hence why I decided to give him a job at my father's company when I took over. He'd been looking for a position. It was the least I could do. He took me in while I was still recovering. He left me to my own, but he allowed me to become his roommate to get me away from that gang. Trust me, I wasn't missed. Until I could get money of my own, he made sure I wasn't starving myself."

"How did you get money if no one would hire you anywhere?" Trunks questioned, enraptured by the story. "If you don't mind me asking?"

"It's not important," Vegeta told him. "It was legal, don't worry. The little money I was able to get my hands on, I invested a few different places while keeping enough to live on. Over time, the stocks I had chosen were worth something and I cashed in big time. I was able to finance all my living expenses, giving Raditz money to share the rent, and then saved the rest until I was finished with school. When I graduated, I was well off enough to start a small business."

Vegeta's eyes met Trunks's. "But I never thought that I would ever get to that point. I went along with the Ginyus because I no longer cared about my life or who I had wanted to be. I had forgotten the things Ella had taught me and allowed myself to drown in sorrow. After I had been with Raditz for a while, I felt immense guilt for I knew Ella wouldn't have wanted that for me. I had to fight to pull myself out of the depression and figure out who I wanted to be. After a while, I still kept people at a distance, but I was more sociable."

"So…right now, Mai is like you were when you were in the gang, and I'm trying to do what Raditz had for you."

"Exactly, and don't think I didn't say shit to Raditz like Mai had to you. I didn't know what his family had suffered, that even though he was fine, confident, and jocular, he was undergoing fear and worry for his father and brother. I didn't tell him his life was perfect, but I told him not everyone could be so damn lucky like he was. It had struck a nerve, because he could have inherited the disorder over his brother, but he didn't. No matter what, none of us have a perfect life. Even if horrible things don't happen to us every day, that means nothing. Raditz always understood that there were others who had worse than he did, and he tried to help the best he could. You're a lot like him, ironically since you spent more time with his brother than with him. You should never wish for worse than you have. Continue being there for all your friends, and eventually that strength and optimism you have will rub off on them. They'll see the light at the end of the tunnel, because you've seen it and you know it's there."

"Vegeta," Trunks breathed out before smiling widely at the man, his nerves and guilt replaced again by his admiration for the man. "Thank you for telling me all that. I promise, it'll be our secret until you want to tell mom, even if that time doesn't come."

Vegeta smirked at the boy, reaching out to affectionately ruffle his hair as he had seen his mother do so often. Trunks chuckled, pulling away from him after a second once the coughing started again. "Ugh, I feel awful," the boy moaned.

"That's what you get for sitting in the rain for an hour," the man chided. "Stupid move, boy."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Trunks scoffed. "Well, thanks for checking on me, but I'm okay. You don't have to stay."

"We were planning on all three of us going up to a business partner's cabin for the weekend," Vegeta informed him. The boy's blue eyes widened. "Since you're under the weather, I will be staying here this weekend, instead."

"Oh, okay," Trunks marveled. "I guess I'll see you at dinner then. I really just want to be alone and rest right now."

"That's fine," Vegeta yielded. "Probably the best idea you've had all day."

Trunks smiled weakly at that, but nodded his agreement. He watched as Vegeta left the room and lied back in his bed, throwing himself against the pillows. He looked over at his nightstand and awkwardly placed his mug on the table while lying down. His eyes shifted to his phone. What time was it? How long had it been since he left school? Oh, right. It had been the first class of the morning when he and Mai argued. Shit, it was still morning. No wait, he had gotten cream for her from the nurse around second period and then gave it to Goten to help her. Then he left school, about two hours in. Vegeta said he had been missing for about an hour, maybe a little more, and it took him a while to walk home. Plus, his mother and Vegeta had been home for lunch. Wow, he must have been walking around in the rain for about an hour before he made it home too. How had he not noticed that?

So if it was an hour from lunch, and maybe they had taken an early lunch so between eleven and eleven-thirty, it was probably close to one at the moment. His friends were all still in class, so they most likely hadn't contacted him. Well, that was fine with him. His eyes felt heavy as it was, and his head was killing him already. Satisfied with his mental time math, he closed his eyes to get some needed rest.

If he had looked at his phone, though, he would have seen that Mai had texted him a few times during the day apologizing and begging him to get in touch with her.


	21. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Quick update before I leave town today. Enjoy!

* * *

"I guess this has been long overdue," Bulma sighed as she sat down across from her brother at the dining room table. She looked over to Vegeta in the kitchen, cooking dinner. Her mother was upstairs with Trunks, having come over to see how he was doing. "I don't even know where to begin or what to say."

"Well," Tarble breathed out, "I'm assuming that dad and Bunny weren't just together for a night, huh?"

Bulma's expression soured. "I honestly didn't think Launch would say that to you, but that's what dad told her. I've tried very hard to ignore her when she says that or that mom wouldn't let him be a father to me. Truthfully, it was his choice to leave, and the courts wanted us to have supervised visitation. They asked mom who she felt comfortable with in his family, so she chose our grandparents. If not for that, it would have been a court appointed official who wouldn't have let dad go off places alone with me like our grandparents would."

Tarble took a deep breath and then exhaled. "Well, that couldn't be helped," he stated. "Alright, continue."

"Dad didn't like having any supervisor and told our grandparents to back off. He wanted to see me alone to 'establish a relationship' with him before anyone else in the family, but they lived so close and I wanted to see them, so mom arranged visitation with them, too," Bulma explained. "One time I was there, it was for one of our cousin's Communion. Dad's brother mentioned the family picnic in passing, and so I wanted to go to that."

"F…Family picnic?" Tarble questioned.

"You were young at the time, and you maybe went to one when you were seven," Bulma explained. "It's a yearly thing if you ever want to go, but since it's around the time Launch and dad got married, you've been with her each time."

"I see," Tarble remarked. "So dad didn't want you to go?"

"No," Bulma answered. "He told me we couldn't go, and when I asked why he said it was because you guys hadn't moved there yet and were focused on the move, so grandma said they'd bring me. I told him it was okay and that I'd go with them and then turned off my phone for the night. When I woke up, he had sent many messages saying that I was a manipulative child and if I went we were done. I chose to go, and then dad stopped talking to me which is why I didn't see you until senior year when you all came to one of my school events, one of the only times he was ever there."

Tarble softened and reached out to take his sister's hand. She jumped, startled from her thoughts. He could tell how hard it was for her to tell him it all. She was forcing herself from her body, just speaking as if she was reporting something that happened to someone else. "I now understand what you meant when you said you understood," Tarble murmured. "You understood why I felt shorted at dad not being there for my high school and college graduation. Dad never went to yours."

Tears pricked Bulma's eyes. She pulled her hand away and just covered up her eyes, shaking to try to stop the tears. Tarble sighed and got up from the table, moving to hug the woman. She clung to him tightly as if she was waiting for him to pull away and abandon her. Tarble felt his heart ache for her. Is that how she felt about their father? Is that why it had taken her so long to meet someone? Was she afraid to be abandoned?

"Tarble, I didn't want you to know this stuff," Bulma argued. "Please, let's just forget about it. I can't…I can't go back to that time."

"It wasn't the worst of it," her brother figured. "It got worse after you graduated, didn't it? During that time, I didn't see you at all. I remember dad telling us what you guys talked about on his drive home from work. To be honest, he never said anything bad about you ever. I just figured you were busy living your life."

"Dad was making me feel like shit and criticized everything about me," Bulma admitted. "I became very stressed out, a perfectionist. Remember your First Communion?" Tarble nodded. "I said I had gotten two low grades in front of everyone, and dad and Launch said it was fine and everything. Yet I still felt like a failure because of things dad had said to me before. If you don't mind, I'd like to keep that to myself. There are some who know, but all I am willing to say right now is that it was bad and I questioned whether or not dad even loved me. I couldn't even call him dad until he died, and at first only when I was around you. He came to me in a dream and I felt his love, but I didn't believe it when he was alive. He placed all the blame on me for all the drama in his life even though I tried everything."

Her voice cracked, finally unable to hold back her emotion. She started crying, and Tarble could feel his sister's pain and heartache. "I really tried, Tarble. I wanted things to work out. I wanted to be there for you so much. I'd send letters with gifts I thought you'd like. I couldn't talk to you, so I wanted to make sure you knew I cared. I was afraid one day you'd ask questions and they'd lie about me. I would constantly picture us having this moment, but you would always wind up not believing me and hating me, leaving me there. I was always afraid you'd hate me."

"I don't hate you," Tarble assured her, his voice full of compassion. "It's a lot to take in, Bulma. I can't even imagine dad doing something like that. I'm sorry you went through that. I can't hate dad…"

"I don't want you to hate him," Bulma responded. "I don't even hate him." She smiled weakly, her tears still wetting her cheeks. "We had good memories too, but the bad always took root in my mind because they kept happening. Me…his family…we all begged him to just let it go and move on with us. I would have been fine having never received an apology as long as he promised to just end it. We never had to talk about any of it. I would have been fine with that, as long as the hurtful words and pain stopped.

"When he died, I felt destroyed," she admitted. "I had such severe night terrors that I needed to take sleeping pills. It pains me that we'll never be able to make things work out. That was one of my greatest fears."

"Bulma," Tarble murmured.

"Yeah?"

It took the young man time to think of a suitable response that wouldn't upset his sister. "I…I won't involve myself in it. I love you, and I understand and feel for you, and if you need to talk, I'll listen." He took a shaky breath. "But I know my mom wants to talk to you about dad. I never knew what about, but now it makes sense. I won't tell you what to do. I won't even give you my opinion on whether or not you should hear her out. I know you. You look at the positives and negatives of everything, to mentally prepare for the worst. Now I know why. Anyway, what I'm saying is…I know you've had this debate many times before and you've made your choice. I support whatever you think is best for you. I won't tell mom I know, but with that I can't get her to back down."

"Tarble, I wouldn't want you to," Bulma told him, smiling as she wiped her tears away. "To be honest, I wish you didn't know, but it was only a matter of time. It gets to Trunks sometimes, because he feels that dad should have been there for me."

"Dad should have been there for you," Tarble urged, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I'll never understand why he did all that, and I won't deny that it was wrong of him. But…and I hope he'd forgive me for saying this, I'm not him. You don't have to be afraid of me or feel like you have to keep secrets. We're adults, and we can make out own decisions. After everything you've done for me, even Trunks, I'd be a total jerk if I were to turn against you. Whatever dad said to you before, he was wrong, because the only Bulma I've ever seen is a strong, independent, loving sister. Nothing will change that."

Bulma's breath hitched before she cast him a relieved smile. "You have no idea how much it means to hear that, little bro."

Tarble laughed and blushed at her term of endearment. "I do know, sis. That's why I said it. Now, why don't you go check on Trunks? We'll get dinner on the table."

"Alright," Bulma agreed. "Thanks."

Bulma stood up from the table, her body feeling heavy from emotional and physical exhaustion from the whole day. She made her way up the stairs finding Trunks and her mother in the teenager's room. "Are you sure you don't want me to read you a bedtime story?" Bunny teased warmly.

Trunks chuckled and blushed. "Gramma," he whined. "I'm not a little kid anymore, and it's not bedtime. I've been sleeping all day." He noticed his mother in the doorway and mouthed the words, "Help me."

Managing not to laugh, the mother entered and placed her hand on Bunny's shoulder. "I think he needs to get downstairs for dinner. Thanks for coming to check on him."

"Oh, of course!" Bunny chimed. "And it looks like you remember all that I've taught you over the years for dealing with colds. Of course, you forgot the zinc cough drops."

"I don't have a sour throat," Trunks deadpanned. "I'm just congested. Mom already gave me something for that."

"Well, that's fine then," Bunny adulated. "Now, I'm going to get going. I hear it's been quite the intense day for all of you."

"Mom, you could stay for dinner," Bulma offered.

"No, that's fine. My coworkers are meeting out tonight and I said I'd go. I can't go back on my word."

"Okay, then, have fun." Bulma brought her mother out of the room giving Trunks time to check his phone. His eyes widened from all the messages he received, all from Mai, even a voicemail.

Slowly, he reached for the phone, and he began reading them all.

* * *

Mai had felt awful after Trunks had left the school. When she tried to ask Goten what happened, he wouldn't answer. He stayed quiet as he helped her with her wrists before leaving her to herself. She wondered what Trunks had said to Goten. After math class, Goten waited until they were the last in the room. He walked over to her looking highly displeased. "Mai, you got a second?"

Fear. That's all she felt in that moment. Goten wasn't Trunks, and she was only starting to get to know him. "S-Sure," she stammered.

Goten sighed when he heard her anxiety. "Look, Mai, it may not seem like it, but Trunks has it rough whether it seems like it or not. He's my best friend, and even though he's admitted he knows I have things worse than he does, he's told me stuff that made me realize that no one's life is perfect. Trunks has always said he would rather take on half my pain so that my stress was more manageable and that he could handle the other half. He basically does, to be honest. I stress him out all the time even when I'm okay because he's always going to worry that I'm not okay and it scares him, just like it scares me if he and Valese aren't okay. Mai…he won't say thing to you because you're the one suffering, but the reason he's so insistent is because he's afraid to lose you."

Mai was stunned by Goten's words, especially when he abruptly left after them. Immediately, she took out her phone and texted Trunks. **Hey…I'm sorry about earlier. Please text me back. I didn't mean it.**

She didn't get a response right away. It was possible he was in trouble for cutting school, or maybe he just didn't want to look at his phone. Maybe that would change after school.

Trying to focus on the rest of the day wasn't helpful. At lunch, she barely ate despite the scolding of Valese and Videl. Goten tried to prompt her to eat, but Mai shook her head and then went off somewhere in the school alone.

Well, almost alone.

"Well, well, well," Paigen's voice cut through her. "If it isn't Mai Tai. You know, your little fuck buddy was smart to go to that new counselor, but it doesn't matter now I guess anyway. Rumor has it the two of you broke up this morning. I should have known he wouldn't put up with you for too long. I hope he was a good lay. Maybe now he'll be more receptive to me."

Her heart ached, but her anger flared and all she wanted to do for the first time in her life was fight back and defend herself and her friend. "You wish," she scoffed, her voice even and cold. "Trunks isn't an object, Paigen, and we not that it's any of your business, but we never slept together. He is and always will be my friend, and I won't let some fake dye orange-haired 'redhead' degrade him. So what if we argued? It has nothing to do with you, so why don't you get a life? Your life must be so damn boring if you need to amuse yourself with ours."

Paigen appeared affronted. She could not believe that Mai had talked down to her like that. This girl was a nothing, a nobody, just an obedient follower that had no future ahead of her. Where did all that fight and confidence come from? "Humph," the girl grumbled. "Why would I want anything to do with the likes of you? Your life isn't that great, anyway."

Mai smiled sadly at that. "You're right," she agreed. "That's about to change."

The dark-haired girl walked away feeling lighter than she had, all because she had channeled Trunks's optimism and fighting spirit. He had no doubt that she would finally get out of her hellhole. She had to trust in that.

Once again, she texted her friend, and once again she was ignored, but she refused to let that bother her. **Just wanted to let you know that you were right, about everything. I'm ready to talk whenever you're willing to listen. I'm really sorry if you're still upset about earlier. Please, be okay.**

At the end of the day, Mai hurried home to find that Zarbon was already waiting for her at the door. She cautiously eyed him, trying to gage his emotion to see what would happen. The sunlight glistened exposing a knife in a holster on his belt. Mai gulped, but she shifted her bag on her shoulder and confidently strode in the house.

"You made it home earlier than the last couple days," Zarbon pointed out.

Mai shrugged nonchalantly. "The packet was handed in today. Next week, though, Trunks is my partner in science. We're going to be working late after school to come up with some ideas and to do the research."

"Did the teacher pair you this time?" Zarbon scoffed. "Or are you using the project as a way to spend time with him?"

Turning to face him with defiant eyes, Mai shot back with, "What's the difference? No matter what I say, you're still going to do whatever you want to me. Stop trying to use me 'lying' as an excuse."

Zarbon was clearly unamused by the scathing, disrespectful taunt. He approached her slowly, yet she held her ground. This girl standing in front of him was defiant, nothing like the girl he had broken over the years. "I think we need our little obedience tools."

Mai grinned maliciously, ripping off her sweatshirt, before she held out her bandaged wrists to him. "Go ahead," she challenged. "See what happens. If I can't write or if these burns get worse and I can't hide them, I guess we're changing schools again and you'll have to find a new house with secret compartments and close to Cold Enterprises. Do you really want to keep playing this game?"

"I don't how this attitude of yours has arisen, however I am not pleased," Zarbon growled. "You have a five minute reprieve, but after that you're going to regret the manner in which you spoke to me."

"Whatever," Mai grunted before she grabbed her back and ran up to the room. She didn't know what the hell happened to her, but she felt determined and not the least bit afraid. In moments, though, her determination would no longer be of use. For now, she texted Trunks again. Thinking of the boy gave her strength, and she needed every ounce of it. Standing up to Paigen and Zarbon felt good. She wanted to fight.

 **If you don't hear from me later, I sort of got myself into trouble again. I'll be okay, but I don't want you to worry. I'll be fine.**

She was not fine by the time Zarbon dragged her back up the stairs to her room. She had lost this confident resolve she had and Zarbon had teased her over it. He tried to convince her it was all an act, that her mind was playing tricks on her. She wasn't her own person. She belonged to him.

Beside herself, she had cried and screamed after he started barreling into her. He pulled no punches with her, using his own fists to cause damage. Surely she had some broken bones. Well, maybe she didn't. The pain could be coming from the internal bleeding evident by the bruises that littered her body.

"Here," Zarbon jeered tossing Mai's phone onto her bed. "I'll give you this little reprieve. Let me guess. 'Lavender' knows, right? As long as he tells no one, maybe, just maybe I'll allow you this one friend."

Zarbon laughed cruelly as he left her room, closing her door behind him. It would have bothered Mai that Zarbon figured out that Trunks knew, but she knew the man was not an idiot. He suspected Trunks knew. She gave him no verbal confirmation. Still, he had scathingly said he would let her see Trunks. Despite the pain she was in, she smiled slightly and weakly reached for her phone. She could barely move to type on the phone, so she pressed the button and put it on speaker.

" _Hey, this is Trunks. You know what to do."_

She grinned. Even his voicemail was quirky. After the beep sounded, she spoke, her voice light and airy. "Hey, Trunks. I…can't text right now. To be honest, he really did a number on me tonight, but it's not the worst it's been. I…I stood up to him. It hurts, but I stood up to him. You're right. I can do this. As long as I have you by my side, I can. Just…please forgive me. I was scared. I didn't mean what I said. Well…in case I don't talk to you…"

* * *

" _Have a good night."_

Trunks held the phone to his ear, his hand as well as his body shaking. Mai had really thought about him all throughout the day? She was sorry? He chuckled bitterly. She was the one who was hurt. "That…that bastard," he growled. "Mai…"

"Trunks?"

Trunks looked to his mother observing him, studying him. He smiled forlornly and said, "I'll be down in a minute. I just need to make a call."

"Okay, but hurry down. Vegeta made soup for all of us," Bulma informed.

Her son nodded to her, so Bulma gave him some privacy. The teenager quickly chose Mai's number and heard it ring multiple times before it picked up. _"H-Hello?"_ a sleepy voice spoke.

"Mai…" Trunks breathed out, relieved.

" _Trunks?"_

"Yeah, it's me. Did I wake you?"

He heard a yawn on the other end which he found endearing. _"Maybe,"_ she answered. _"Did you get my message?"_

"Of course I did," Trunks assured her. "Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I…it was a rough afternoon." To prove his point, his body tensed taking him by surprise as he started hacking away.

Mai sounded more awake and alert the next time she spoke. _"T-Trunks! Are you okay?"_

"Yeah," he laughed. "I just did something stupid and gave myself a cold. Never walk home from school in the rain…or go out and sulk in it for an hour."

" _Trunks, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-"_

"It wasn't just you, Mai," he soothed. "There were some other things going on when I got home, and I was being an idiot. Don't worry about me. I'm going to stay in this weekend. Mom has me covered, and Gramma came over to check me out. I just need to rest and all that stuff."

" _Oh Trunks,"_ Mai chided. _"Still, I'm really-"_

Trunks stopped her again, refusing to let her apologize. "No, Mai. We were both scared, you most of all. It's okay. I know you didn't mean it. It was just a misunderstanding."

There was silence for a moment before he heard a soft, _"Thank you."_

He grinned, feeling a lot better now that things between him and Mai were cleared up. His demeanor altered, though, when he thought of something else. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

" _I'll tell you tomorrow,"_ Mai promised. _"I…I'm too exhausted tonight. I'll be okay, though. I'm just really sore."_

He did not like that answer, but it was one step in the right direction. Honestly, he was glad Mai was resting, so he wasn't going to push her. Not tonight, and not in the future. She already knew what she needed to do, and somehow she had gotten herself to fight back. Hopefully, he could nurture that. She needed to be willing to fight.

Trunks placed his phone back on the nightstand and went to leave his room. He paused in the doorway, looking back and out the window and grimaced.

This storm needed to end.

* * *

Bulma went up to her room after dinner to call Goku and fill him in on everything that had happened that day. At first, she was going to do the dishes, but Vegeta sent her upstairs to rest. Trunks was already in bed, passed out once more. It was a good thing it was the weekend. That meant he had a couple days to recover from this.

" _Hey, Bulma, everything okay?"_

She laughed at the irony. "Yeah, for the most part. They found out today, about my father."

" _They?"_ her friend questioned. _"Uh, who's they, B?"_

"Vegeta and Tarble."

There was a momentary lapse in silence. _"Holy shit, B. Are_ you _okay?"_

"Strangely enough, I am. Tarble accepts the truth, but he's agreed to stay out of the whole situation. You were right all along, Goku. He doesn't hate me. I've never felt this relieved other than when we found Trunks today. He was so upset, Goku. He and Mai had a bit of a disagreement, and then he overheard Vegeta say something positive about my father."

Unbeknownst to the woman, Vegeta was outside her door frozen when he heard her say his name. He had no idea what more she was going to say about him to her friend, Raditz's brother and her ex. She chuckled, confusing him. "Yeah, he was surprised, but he understands. He's really amazing Goku, I can't even begin to tell you. I'm truly lucky to have met him."

" _I'm so happy for you, Bulma,"_ Goku chimed. _"I told you that you'd meet the right guy. By now, he probably knows everything."_

"Surprisingly, yeah, at least all I can think of," Bulma replied. "He knows about my family's condition and the surgery, and about how Trunks was conceived. He knows about you and Yamcha. I had been telling him all along stuff about my father. We had a date the day my former boss said that disgusting thing about my son. I was such a mess. To be honest, we can both agree if Yamcha came in on that, he and I would have ended so much earlier."

Both she and her friend laughed, and Vegeta's brow quirked as if he missed an inside joke. _"Yeah, I understand. To be fair to him, though, he just didn't know how to deal with women or emotions. He wasn't right for you. I had hoped he'd change, though."_

"Yeah, well, I'm happy how things have turned out," Bulma murmured contently making the eavesdropper smirk. "Goku, it's so weird how fast this is happening, but at the same time it feels so right. I…I think I'm really falling for him."

Her words startled Vegeta, his smirk falling as he became dazed by those seven words. And apparently it wasn't over. "Definitely. He's amazing with Trunks, and Trunks really looks up to him. You remember that time we were all out at that fair and that guy came up to me thinking I was just tagging along with you and your family?" She laughed. "Yeah, I know. He was so stupid telling me to drop you and _your_ kids, and then when he realized Trunks was mine he turned tail. But Vegeta isn't like that. He's put in as much time trying to get to know Trunks as he has with me…" She leaned back against her pillows, a dreamy look in her eyes. "Yeah, he really is. I think you two would really get along. We have a conference the week after this, but maybe after we get back we can all go out for dinner or something."

" _I think I really would like him. Dinner sounds good. Talk to him about it, and we can set something up. After all, he may end up being the uncle of my kids, after all."_

"Oh stop it, you're making me blush," she said to the man. "I can't think that far in the future. We're already moving so fast, I wouldn't want to scare him off with the idea of marriage or anything, so until we're ready for that, your kids are just going to have to make do with their aunt. Speaking of, how is Goten's new medication working out."

" _Only time will tell, but so far so good. We've been on him about taking it, so he hasn't missed a dose, and now that it's in his system, he seems lighter. I still can't get over the drama they were dealing with in school. I mean, I know we had drama, but this is nuts."_

"Yeah, high school bs. Well, next year, maybe it'll be like my school. Everyone will be so focused on their own lives and futures, they won't go out of their way to trash someone else's," Bulma huffed. "I'm glad Trunks was able to think of a way out."

" _You're his mother after all. He gets it from you."_

"Thanks," Bulma replied. "Anyway, we're gonna stay in this weekend now that Trunks is sick, but if you need anything, just call."

" _Thanks, B. Get some rest, okay? You need it, too."_

"Yeah, yeah. Jeez, you sound like Vegeta. The two of you are going to be tag teaming me in the future, I just know it… Yeah, don't worry. He's already forcing me to rest, so don't worry about me. Just keep that focus on you guys. We need you to be okay, too… Alright, have a good night. I'll text you sometime tomorrow."

Bulma hung up the phone and let it drop to her mattress as she happily sighed. She couldn't believe how easy it was to admit to her friend that she was falling hard for Vegeta. How could she not? He was everything she had always hoped she'd find, and he treated her with respect and care. When she had her emotional outbursts, the ones that she and her father had always hated, he just took it unlike her ex who had always run away from that kind of pain. For the longest time, she had felt something was wrong with her, but when she was with Vegeta she felt normal and that behavior wasn't the most horrid thing in the world.

Moments later, Vegeta finally decided to make his presence known. Bulma smiled at him, and after hearing what she confided in her friend her eyes shone with love. It wasn't that she was looking at him differently, so Vegeta was reeling over the fact that he hadn't seen it before. Nothing changed between them, for he felt the same, and she clearly hadn't wanted to pressure him into anything so it was business as usual.

Still, he couldn't ignore her words. She was falling for him? He was pretty sure he had been falling for her all along. It was why he could accept everything she said at face value even when she was still being secretive. Never once had she lied to him, and she had always been open about wanting to tell him one day. Sure, she hadn't told him herself, but he had respected her decision. It didn't affect their relationship in the slightest. He was getting to know Bulma, and just Bulma. He wasn't in it to get to know Dr. Briefs's daughter.

"Hey," she greeted, to which he answered with a grunt. "Thank you, for today I mean. I don't think I would have been able to handle it without you."

"S'what I'm here for," he murmured quietly as he dropped himself to the bed. His eyes peered over his shoulder to find Bulma still grinning at him, his lips quirking up in a coy smirk. He lied down next to the woman, pulling her close. It felt incredibly peaceful just being there with her. The silence was welcome.

"So, what did you overhear?" Vegeta tensed for a minute. How could he have been caught? Had she said all those things knowing he was there? "You know, with me and my brother."

Immediately, he relaxed. She was speaking of earlier when he was cooking and within earshot of the two siblings. He hadn't really meant to listen in on their conversation, but that was difficult when they sat right there. "I heard enough. You really thought he'd hate you?"

"I never knew what they told him about me," Bulma reminded both him and herself.

"Stop that," Vegeta chided.

Bulma sat up abruptly. "Stop what?"

"Stop going back there," he ordered. "I could see it in your eyes, Bulma. It's all over now, and all these things you feared did not come to pass. I now see the reason you couldn't get closure. You never let go of any of your fears. I know, because I did it too, and now I'm finally starting to deal with it. Thanks to you."

"Hm…so what did you and Trunks talk about earlier?"

"Bulma, you might want to contact your friend again," Vegeta suggested, grimacing.

Bulma's light demeanor faltered. "What happened?"

"He shocked her," Vegeta informed her. "I know you don't want to break her trust, but it's getting out of hand. At least tell her to start investigating the guy."

"What time is it?"

"Late," Vegeta told her.

"Then I'll call in the morning. What time would you like to get up?"

"Don't set an alarm," Vegeta stated. "I'll get us up."

The woman looked to his questioningly. "Okay? I'm holding you to that."

Vegeta smirked and reached over the woman's shoulder to turn off her lamp. As he pulled away, he felt Bulma's hand on his arm as it glided under her fingertips. In response, Vegeta grasped hers in his guiding it to his back and then releasing her to run his hand through her blue tresses. Their eyes met, a tired smile pulling at the corners of Bulma's mouth. She cuddled against him, moving closer to absorb his warmth. Strangely enough, she was still cold. That fact caused Vegeta to frown. He pulled her tousled quilt over them, slightly amused that the woman hadn't made her bed. He was used to making sure everything was neat and tidy before he went about his day. It was something that had been instilled in him as a boy.

Today had been a day, certainly unexpected. If anyone had told him that he would be playing house later, he'd have thought them crazy yet there he was. It felt odd yet satisfying, and he looked up at the ceiling remembering his high school sweetheart. Bulma had talked to her, and he had too slightly. Still, he hadn't said what he really wanted. He couldn't in front of Bulma. "You were right," he whispered into the night as he was lulled to sleep by Bulma's soft snores. Maybe this was exactly what he needed.


	22. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Happy Halloween! Since it's my favorite holiday today, I decided to give an update :D Hope you enjoy it and you all have a fun and safe day/night!

* * *

It was still dark outside when Vegeta awoke. That didn't surprise him. He was an early riser ever since he could remember unless he had the occasional night of heavy drinking. The rain was still cascading down the windows, an annoying reminder of the previous day. Now that Vegeta thought of that, he was awake. He found Bulma still curled up against him, now feeling very warm. Carefully, he maneuvered out of bed to avoid waking the sleeping woman. It was, after all, the middle of the night still.

He took the time to actually look around her apartment as he descended the stairs. Before when he was over, he was always distracted either by Bulma or getting out of the house when he had been caught there by Trunks. Now, he could see all the pictures, the art she had hung around the place. Most pictures were of Bulma and Trunks, but he saw many with Bulma's and Goku's two families. Some pictures even had the woman's mother who had prattled to him the previous night.

Surprisingly, with all the photos, he saw none of Tarble or Launch. He wondered if it was part of her self-preservation in case strangers entered her home that she didn't want asking questions about her parentage. Even knowing who her father was, Vegeta didn't understand why Bulma felt the need to hide herself. Everyone had known who he was when he left his home, though now that he thought about it he did get a lot of heat and had difficulty. Bulma had it easier, not having to change her name. Once the hype of Trunks's heiress died down, she could just blend away somewhere like in that little appliance company. She wasn't high profile.

Vegeta had to change his name to avoid association with his father. It had been a good decision. He then realized Bulma's fear was his reality. Save Nappa, the board questioned his competency and maturity because they had all worshiped his father. Paragus had said outright what he thought of Vegeta, so to understand he put Bulma in that exact same situation. What did she think people would think of her? Her father had already accused her of having poor work ethic and only loving him for his money. Did she worry that people would have this impression that all her life choices were over money?

Jeez, how did dating her boss look to people?

Maybe that was Launch's real attack that day at lunch when he had seen the woman so irate. Well, if that were the case, it was clear the older woman didn't know her stepdaughter at all. He did. Bulma was a fighter who overcame a lot of crap from a man who made himself out to be a brave and noble man. Well, now that the truth was out, it didn't matter. His opinion of her hadn't changed. In fact, his feelings had only been amplified.

She was truly like him.

At least now they could move forward. Their pasts had shaped them so much, and now they could slowly start pushing those broken pieces away, sweeping them under the rug. They never had to revisit this if they didn't want to. Sure, it would come up here and there, but not like this.

He glanced out the window. If the sun was up, it was covered by storm clouds. Well, that didn't have to stop him from his morning routine. That didn't, but Trunks's voice did.

"Hey, it's okay. I'll talk to mom," he heard coming from the kitchen followed by a couple of coughs. He walked over and saw Trunks standing, leaning over the counter unaware of his presence. "If you really want this, we'll get the whole process started. Just…can you get out?" Silence for a moment. Trunks turned halfway and Vegeta saw his smile. "Mai, we're here for you. I'll tell mom you're coming to stay."

Vegeta was surprised, but the initial shock instantly wore off and he smirked. It sounded like Mai had finally come around, maybe finally accepting that she had options. Maybe the girl thought as he did, that Zarbon had gone too far. She finally wanted to fight back. It was the best time to get the woman's friend involved.

Of course it was too early to call, so he planned to let Bulma sleep a few hours more. He was astounded that the boy was even up this early. "Yeah, take care," Trunks murmured gently. "I'll see you once he goes to work. Mom will come get you."

Trunks hung up the phone and turned to return upstairs, startled when he saw Vegeta standing there. He smiled to the man, his whole countenance looking more at ease than it had been. "Morning. Did I wake you?"

Vegeta snorted a laugh. "Not even," he remarked. "Good news?"

"Yeah, the best," Trunks replied. "Mai sent me a lot of messages yesterday. She said she stood up to him yesterday, that he still came after her, but she was fine. She's finally listening to what we've all been saying. I…have to thank you."

The flame-haired man was perplexed. "Me?"

"Yeah." Trunks nodded. "You're the one who said that she needed to fight, that the emancipation thing was a longer process. She still wants that, but she actually said she's willing to talk to Juu in the meantime. We can get this whole process started."

Trunks was as enthusiastic as ever, that flame inside him burning brightly. It was a nice change of pace, especially after dealing with his anger. He was able to overcome those negative emotions easily, no doubt after watching his mother who could cycle through all sorts of emotions in a matter of minutes. "Right," he agreed. "You should go get some more rest. A couple hours makes a difference."

"Yeah, okay," Trunks hummed. "Hey, look…the rain stopped."

Vegeta glanced over his shoulder to see that Trunks was right. The clouds still cast the shadow, but the rain had finally turned to drizzle if anything. "About damn time," the man huffed. Glancing back over at the boy, he added, "See you later."

Trunks energetically made his way back to his room. No doubt he probably wouldn't be able to get back to sleep unless his sickness took over. Vegeta was now alone downstairs and made his way to the living room. The space was open, perfect for him to start his exercises. It was time to start his day.

* * *

Mai waited until she heard the door slam shut before she chanced going out of her room. It was surprisingly early, but she had heard Zarbon yelling on the phone with another of his coworkers. Something about that conference again. She was used to Zarbon coming after her on occasion during the week, avoiding him and being a prisoner, but since this conference had come up, since Zarbon had been given more responsibility by Frieza, he had been flying off the handle more.

She had been so afraid of what Zarbon could do that she blinded herself to what he was doing. Trunks had been right since he found out. Her mind had always been full of fear and uncertainty, but she had known how to handle Zarbon. The second he'd thrown a curveball, she hadn't know what to do, but the solution was so simple. Bulma's friend wasn't like the agents she dealt with in the past. Mai couldn't forget that she saw that picture of Marron is Bulma's office. The woman would believe her.

Even once Zarbon was investigated, Bulma's words came back to her. What could he really do? Enough people knew now, and they knew she wasn't suicidal or looking for attention. Logic returned to her. How else would she have gotten a wound like that on her back?

Now that he was gone, Mai ventured out into the house and for the first time dared to go into his room. Zarbon had kept a lot of her mother's things after her death, and Mai remembered one thing she would want to take. It was the blue pendant her mother always wore, shaped like a butterfly. She found it safely tucked away in her mother's jewelry box. She hoped Zarbon wouldn't notice.

Then she returned to her room, took her schoolbag, and shoved her art supplies in it. She went into the hall closet and took out one of Zarbon's duffle bags so that she could pack some of the clothes she wanted to keep, including the ensemble Bulma bought her. When she was finished, she put the bags by the door. It was still early, so she went downstairs and made herself breakfast. She decided to text Pilaf to let him know what was going on. He would want to know.

 **I'm getting out of here.**

* * *

Bulma's eyes twitched once the light shone into her room. She noticed that she was alone before sitting up and yawning slightly loudly. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she made her way downstairs and heard a series of grunts. Stumped and now wide awake, she finished making her way downstairs and saw Vegeta lying on the living room floor doing sit ups.

Her eyes widened at the sight, his body glistening with sweat. How long had he been up working out? Well, at least this explained his well-toned physique. The woman's face heated up as her eyes roved his half-naked form. It was then that Vegeta stopped, sitting up and reigning in his breathing, before his eyes landed directly on her as if he had sensed her watching. His arrogant and self-satisfied smirk nearly did her in. Thoroughly stimulated, flustered, and embarrassed having been caught leering, she continued her trek down the stairs and went directly to the kitchen.

She couldn't believe how heated she actually felt, immediately going to get a drink of water to cool her down. She needed a minute before she could face her boyfriend, though he hadn't gotten the memo. Hardened hands grazed her bare arms before caressing her body down her chest down to her stomach. "Like what you saw?" Vegeta teased, his husky voice teasing her eardrums. Bulma shivered against him, chills running down her spine. Involuntarily, she pressed herself into him as she mentally tried to fight it and steady herself. He chuckled at her reaction running his hands over her body sneaking lower and lower until his hand swept over her thigh.

Bulma gasped at the contact, jumping away from him slightly, turning herself to face him. It was a bad idea on her part, for now she was face to face with him, her eyes filled with indecision whilst Vegeta's were filled with confidence. Her expression caused him to waver, his expression humorless contrasting how it was moments ago. Now, Bulma was even more embarrassed as Vegeta pulled away from her increasing the distance between them.

Ashamed, is what she felt. Here she was in her forties, and she still held on to her ridiculous fear that she would be abandoned. It's not like her mother's situation could have ever applied to her, now. When she was younger, even dating Goku, she was afraid of her own desire. She was young at the time, and in her mind she kept picturing her mother alone and pregnant having been threatened by her father. Bulma never wanted a child of hers to grow up with a father that hated them. In her mind, being with someone one time was enough of a risk, regardless of if they'd leave her or not. She couldn't chance it.

But she was an adult now, not that she wasn't an adult then, but she was still young then. She was wiser now, and she knew that her fear was nonsensical. It was no secret that she and Vegeta were attracted to each other, their heated make out session returning to her mind. Normally she tried to be so composed, but that night all of her inhibitions could not hold her back. Here, in her kitchen, even if he was just teasing her, they were all back as well as her doubt. She hadn't expected that to happen so late in her life when she knew she was with a trustworthy partner and that history could not repeat itself.

She needed to give him an explanation for her behavior, but she couldn't find the words to convey it. Instead, she walked over to the brooding man and brushed fingers against his chest up to his broad shoulders. He inhaled brusquely through his nose before breathing out and reached out to hold her. "Good morning," she greeted, her voice airy as if the moment that had just occurred hadn't happened. "Did you sleep well?"

"Fine," Vegeta grunted. "You?"

"I'm good," she assured him. "Actually surprised you didn't wake me there, buddy."

"It's seven in the morning," he informed her.

"Seriously?" the woman doubtfully questioned. She glanced over at the stove and laughed lightly. "Well, so it is. How long have you been awake?"

"Five," Vegeta answered. "The boy was speaking to his friend. She's looking to escape. He told her he'd talk to you. She's willing to talk to your friend."

Bulma sighed, relieved. "Thank God," she whispered. "When you said escape, do you really mean…?"

"She's looking to come here and stay with you," Vegeta relayed, grinning slightly. "Looks like you and your boy have made quite an impression on her."

The woman offered him a thankful smile before pulling away and going towards her house phone. Seven was normally when Krillin and his family woke up even on the weekends. She dialed the woman's number, and Juu immediately picked up. "Hey," Bulma greeted after hearing a monotone "hello." "Would you mind coming for lunch today?" As the woman asked Bulma what was up, the woman looked to Vegeta and grinned. "I think Mai's willing to speak with you."

Bulma's face revealed shock after Juu finally put the pieces together. The woman informed Bulma that she knew exactly who the girl was and that she'd be happy to handle the case to get her away from her stepfather. Back when Mai had been at her daughter's school, she wasn't the social worker on the case. Her colleagues complained she had a bias because her daughter was Mai's classmate. Back then, they couldn't get solid proof, according to them, that Mai wasn't hurting herself. She had been fully recovered before she ever returned to school, and Zarbon had told the social worker on the case that Mai had been seeing an at home therapist during that time because she had made an attempt on her life. The man had really known how to act, his usual smoothness overshadowed by feigned worry and sleeplessness.

They set up a time for lunch at the apartment and then said their goodbyes. It was around that time Trunks was finally up, Tarble coming out of his room shortly after. Trunks was about to inform his mother of everything Mai had said, but Bulma beat him to it and told Trunks that Juu would be coming over for lunch with Marron. That was what the teenager texted his friend, Mai thanking him. This was a positive step in the right direction.

* * *

Mai placed her bags down on the bed which would be hers. Trunks was with her, staying a distance away in hopes he wouldn't get her sick, though she didn't necessarily care. "So, what do you think? Mom said we can go to the mall after lunch with Juu and Marron, so that's something to look forward to. I still can't believe you know Marron."

"I know, small world," Mai murmured. "And it's fine. I…I still can't believe I'm actually doing this. It's just…it's…"

"Slightly nerve-wracking?" Trunks finished for her.

"Well, yeah," the girl replied. "I'm still not sure what he's going to do. What if he retaliates? He knows who you are, now. When he asked about you…I was afraid to lie, so I told him your name."

"Eh, so what?" Trunks countered. "Not much he could do with that. Don't even worry about it. You might be able to take out a restraining order on him, anyway. We'll make it work. I'm just glad…Mai, what happened? You were so dead set against this yesterday, and then you seemed…I don't know."

Mai thought back on her day and sighed. "Well, don't be mad, but Goten talked to me about you, and I felt bad for saying what I did. Then I ran into Paigen and she was being an ass about you and degrading you like those guys did to me and I got angry and told her off. I guess it gave me a confidence boost and that lasted even against Zarbon. I wanted to fight back and stand up for myself. I'm just tired."

As Mai shifted, Trunks saw her wrists and frowned, gently taking one of her hands in his. At least Goten had listened and it looked like he did well with the bandages. The silence was broken when Bulma called the two down for lunch.

The teenagers went down, seeing Vegeta help Tarble with the last few boxes he had left in the apartment. In the dining room were the two mothers talking and Marron whose attention was instantly on Mai. The blonde's face was beaming with joy as she charged her former, dark-haired classmate.

"Mai, it's been forever," Marron greeted, hugging her tightly. The girl cringed at the pain it caused, but she tried not to react. Of course, she saw three pairs of eyes on her, Bulma's, Trunks's, and Juu's. The first two pairs conveyed concern while Juu's remained impassive. Still, the social worker walked up to Mai and her daughter placing a hand on both their shoulders. "Let's talk," she suggested.

Bulma brought a tray of sandwiches and cold cuts she had prepared with assorted condiments. She placed it on the table as Vegeta and Tarble entered the apartment. The woman smiled to her brother who walked up to her and gave her a hug. "Well, it looks like you guys have everything taken care of, so I'm going to take my leave. Cabba's waiting for me before he heads to work."

Bulma wrapped one of her arms around his shoulders. "I'll miss you, but I'm sure we'll see each other soon."

"I'm taking Trunks to school next Wednesday, remember? To talk to his guidance counselor while you're working."

"Yeah, thanks for that. Anyway, you better go before I start reminiscing and getting emotional."

"Oh shit, run…" Trunks whispered to his uncle while earning a chuckle from the man and an affronted look from his mom. He just smirked at the woman causing her to roll her eyes.

Vegeta entered the dining room earning Juu's attention. She studied him for a moment before turning her attention back to Mai as they all sat down. "So, I already know why we're here. Why don't you fill in the blanks?"

Mai was surprised by the informal way the woman spoke and actually smiled feeling a bit more at ease. It was a lot different than the interview she had in the past. "I…I don't feel safe at home. I haven't for a while, but I didn't trust what my stepfather would do if I tried to go for help again. After last time…"

"I understand," Juu replied curtly. "But I need to know that I'll have your cooperation if we pursue this. Bulma explained that you threatened to cut off communication. I need you to confirm that you won't lie even if he threatens you. We can protect you and those who help you as long as you keep fighting."

"I won't," Mai promised. "I…don't think I can anymore. Before, my wounds were never this visible."

The girl uncovered her wrists and Juu frowned, the most expression she had seen from the woman. "Unbandage those. We will need pictures of the injuries for the casefile."

Mai nodded, starting to unwind the wrapping. "There's a large gash on her back, too," Trunks informed the woman. "Or was. Do you know if it's healed yet?"

"It doesn't hurt like it did," Mai explained. "It could have finally scabbed over. I haven't tried to reach back there hoping if I left it alone it wouldn't leave as big a scar."

Juu couldn't believe the burns on the girl's wrists, her eyes narrowing. "I'll take pictures of the injuries, but I'm also going to want a physical exam done to see the extent of the internal injuries. I know a doctor who owes me a favor, so I can get you in today and whatever evidence they find I can have filed on Monday." She looked to her friend and said, "He might try to call the cops on her, so just give any officer my phone and I.D. number and have them call me in case they show up. She's not going back."

"But…can you really do that?" Mai asked.

Juu just offered her a determined smile. "Of course I can. To be fair, Mai, there have been cases here and there where children are slighted because of certain loopholes in the system. A good social worker should do a thorough investigation when those discrepancies come up. I don't know which of my colleagues had your case before, but clearly they didn't do a good enough job. I know what's going on, and I'm not going to put you at risk. New routes come to us every day so that we can do whatever is necessary for the child, legally, without having to send them back into a potentially abusive home. You feel safe here, and that's what matters."

* * *

So, it was decided that Mai was going to go to the hospital where Juu's medical contact worked. Bulma and Marron went with them, though Trunks had opted to stay home, primarily since he was sick. But he was out of his mind with worry for his friend, so he was thankful Vegeta was with him. They weren't doing much, just hanging out in the living room with random action movies playing in the background. Trunks decided to try to distract himself with his homework, and once he had Vegeta pulled out his laptop to do some work for the company.

Vegeta, once again, felt a strange wave flow over him. The scene itself was so mundane, yet at the same time it was pleasant. He was used to living alone, being alone. As long as he could remember, he enjoyed being alone, but whenever he went along with that desire, he'd feel empty. He used to associate that with Ella's death, but even after college, after he was living on his own once again, he would feel it. He never did anything about it, though when Raditz would call him up, he'd be ready to go. Sometimes he'd have that occasional fling with women he met or worked with. As he said to Bulma, they were always aware of his intentions. He had no intention of ruining anyone's life.

Since meeting Bulma, being at his apartment alone held a similar effect, but not that much. He spent a lot of time with her, and most recently her son. When he returned home, it was usually under the impression he'd be seeing her again the next day, and the same was becoming true for Trunks now that he was his assistant. It was strange to have allowed people into his life after becoming somewhat of a hermit over the last few years since he sold his company. He had to admit that being around them held a certain level of peace.

"Do you think she's going to be okay?"

His attention shifted to the teenager who successfully broke the silence between them. Vegeta regarded the boy, taking in his tensed features. Trunks was staring into space, eyes wavering as if he was expecting a negative answer. He desired honesty, even if he wouldn't be ready for it. This child was stronger than he gave himself credit. "Had she waited any longer, she probably wouldn't have been," he told the boy. "However, now that she is willing to do something about it, now that she's choosing to stay here with you, she will be fine. Now she can heal properly."

The boy smiled. "Yeah, that's true." He released a heavy sigh which ignited a couple of coughs. "It's weird. This is all happening so fast. Her decision shifted so quickly. And that argument…it doesn't even matter now."

"Brings to light how idiotic sulking in the rain was, doesn't it?" Vegeta jeered earning Trunks's surprise. When Trunks saw the man smirking, he chuckled and nodded. "Keep that in mind next time you get angry. Next time, just go to your room."

"I wasn't thinking," Trunks admitted. "But I won't do it again."

At least the boy learned.

Vegeta glanced at the clock Bulma had in the living room and saw that it had been quite a while, about an hour since they had been gone. He wondered how much longer it would be. Keeping Trunks distracted while they were gone would become more difficult, and Vegeta had a feeling his words wouldn't keep him appeased for long.

Setting his computer aside, Vegeta stood up and stood over Trunks. "Uh…what up?" the teen questioned in uncertainty.

"Go rest, boy," he ordered. "I'm going to get started on dinner for when they return. I'm sure it will be soon."

"Yeah, okay," Trunks agreed. "Thanks."

Vegeta nodded and watched the teenager ascend the stairs. He was surprised that Trunks had listened to him, but he was glad he had. His worry was misplaced now, and maybe getting rest or distracting himself with something fun instead of schoolwork would help take his mind off of it. They were at a new chapter, and everything the boy had been worried about and seeking advice on was all settled.

Quite the relief, if you asked him.

He received a text from the woman when all was said and done. Mai would be fine and make a full recovery. She had a few bruised ribs among other things, but no broken bones. However, the doctor had seen in the x-ray that some of her bones had had fractures before that thankfully had healed nicely considering she hadn't gone to a doctor. The burns were minor and were being treated, and that injury on her back was healing properly. Juu had all the evidence she needed. Mai was still skeptical about the whole process, but Juu assured her everything would be fine with her on the case. In fact, Juu was going to investigate the past case and see how it was possible for her colleague to overlook what was clearly happening.

At least this was being dealt with now, and thankfully before his and Bulma's trip. The woman's mind had been on so many things including Mai's situation. Now that Mai would be safe at her home, now that Bulma's well-kept secret was out…there was no longer anything holding her back. They would finally be able to focus on being with each other. Yes, there would be the corporate air around them, but they would be there for a week. There would be times when they would be interacting with other businessmen, but Vegeta knew they would have plenty of time to themselves. One thing was certain.

For the first time, he couldn't wait until the week of the conference.


	23. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Happy National Novel Writer's Month, everyone! It's nice that there's a month to celebrate writing. I'm hoping to do a lot of writing this month ^_^ Wish me luck!

* * *

Tuesday rolled around, and Mai was very relieved that Zarbon had yet to contact her. She assumed that if he had returned home, she would have gotten a very angry text. Bulma had not heard from Juu which meant that the house had not yet been investigated. Most likely Zarbon had had to stay away for a couple of days last minute. That was a blessing in disguise for the girl.

On that Monday, Trunks served his detention and then managed to make the last half hour of practice much to the coach's delight. Mai had stayed the day with him, not wanting to go to the corporation without him. She didn't really like going to the city alone, and there was always the chance of running into Zarbon somewhere by accident.

They returned home to find the place still empty indicating that Trunks's mother had had an extra long day. That was okay with them, for it gave them time to quickly do their homework. Trunks offered Mai some alone time afterwards, understanding that this was all new for her. Just because she was staying with them didn't mean he intended to consume all her time. She needed time to adjust.

The two went their separate ways for about another hour after they returned home, Mai settling in her new room. She looked around, still disbelieving sometimes. After she had gone through the physical the past Saturday, Bulma had taken her and Trunks to the mall. The woman had brought them to every store that sold bed sets and furniture and told Mai to pick out whatever she wanted. Mai tried to be a frugal as possible, but Bulma or Trunks would catch her looking at something and it all appeared at the checkout corner.

Her room was now very colorful. She had a purple comforter set with a butterfly pattern towards the bottom with black vines reaching midway up the comforter. The lamp she had matched the comforter color but had a white shade so that the room would be bright. The white nightstand that had already been there had a pale blue and tan, glass lamp also. It sort of reminded her of the ocean. Across from her bed was a brown television stands, flatscreen TV, and small blu-ray player. Trunks also helped her pick out a couple posters for herself to hang up in the room to take up space on the bare walls. Bulma also got her this really nice jewelry box that was sitting on the white dresser next to the left of the mirror and a stereo on the other side. She even had a desk where she neatly put all of her sketch and coloring books and pencils. It was really starting to feel homey.

Mai decided to grab a coloring book and pencils and sat on her bed with a lavender throw pillow on her lap. She put the television on for some background noise, a luxury she never had before, and just absentmindedly colored the different geometric patterns. Part of her still felt a tiny bit on edge, but she could rationally say that nothing was going to happen to her. Trunks was in the other room, for one, and Zarbon wasn't there. She didn't have to worry about him. If he contacted her, Mai knew not to respond and to call Juu's number. The social worker would take it from there. There was nothing left to worry about.

After a while, Mai felt slightly restless and wanted Trunks's company, so she turned off the television and light and then went to the boy's room. His door was wide open, and Mai saw him completely engrossed in a strange videogame. There were some anime-style girls singing and dancing on the screen, and Trunks seemed to be deep in concentration hitting buttons swiftly on the game control. Mai's brow quirked up in both bewilderment and interest especially after Trunks breathed out after having passed the song. His throat sounded much clearer than it had on Saturday much to Mai's relief. She still couldn't believe that he had gone out in the rain, but he had explained to her why he had been so angry. Mai had been surprised that Bulma had been keeping her father's identity secret from her boyfriend and other people, but the teenager could understand that self-preservation. For different reasons, she kept secrets, but thankfully she didn't have to anymore, and neither did Bulma.

"Oh, hey," Trunks greeted warmly when he saw Mai standing in his doorway. "How are you doing?"

"Good," Mai answered walking into the room. "What are you playing?"

Trunks looked to the screen and then back to his friend. "Oh, this? It's Project Diva F," he told her. "Goten got me into the series last year. It's kind of like dance dance revolution and guitar hero. You have to match the notes with the buttons on the game control."

"Sounds interesting," Mai remarked.

"Want to try?" Trunks offered, holding out the controller. "You can put it back down to normal. It takes some getting used to and is pretty hard when starting out, but I think you'll like it."

She took the control from him and smile. "Sure, I'll give it a try."

Mai took a seat beside Trunks on the floor looking slightly upward at the television screen. The two of them sat together, taking turns choosing songs, Mai getting frustrated a couple of times when Trunks could so easily complete a song on hard when Mai seemed to struggle on normal. It did, as he said, get easier the more she played. Eventually, they decided to stop when the heard the front door open and close. "I guess mom finally made it home."

"Yeah," Mai stated. "Should we go see if she needs any help?"

"Yeah," Trunks answered. "Let's go."

* * *

Downstairs, Bulma was getting food that she picked up out on the table for the kids. She had been in a meeting that had run late with Vegeta, Raditz, Nappa, and the board. Paragus was insanely argumentative that evening, though most likely it was because the board had been less responsive to him given the types of employees he had been hiring. No one in the room could come to an agreement on anything, and Vegeta was becoming increasingly angered. That's when Bulma suggested they take a break and meet again the next afternoon so that everyone could give each topic some thought and give their input after they had some time to cool off. Many liked that idea and decided to regroup the next day.

Vegeta had been relieved that Bulma made that suggestion, for he had been about to tell everyone where they could all go. She must have sensed the hostility between everyone in the room and pacified the situation. Afterwards, he still felt pretty keyed up, so he invited Bulma to go out with him to a different club than where they had first met. She had agreed, but wanted to head home to make sure Trunks and Mai had dinner. She had gotten a rotisserie chicken with macaroni and cheese and green beans for side dishes. After she had set out everything, Mai and Trunks had entered the dining room. She smiled at the two of them.

"I got you both some dinner, and Gramma is going to be calling to check in with you while I'm out," Bulma informed them.

Trunks grinned impishly. "Date?"

"Yes, if you must know," Bulma teased before ruffling her son's hair. "How are you feeling today?"

"Better," Trunks assured her. "I'm still slightly congested, but the coughing got knocked right out of me in practice."

"Ugh, tell me you were careful," Bulma sighed.

"I was," he placated her. "Work was busy?"

Bulma nodded before she looked over to Mai. She smiled kindly at the teenager. "And what about you? Did you have a good day?"

"Day four with no contact from Zarbon," Mai stated, "so I'm doing pretty okay. I'm still really worried, though."

Bulma walked over to the girl giving her a sympathetic hug. "Don't worry, sweetie. We'll protect you. There's not much he can do. He doesn't know where we live, and Juu said to trust her. If you hear from him, just call her like she said."

"You going to come home tonight?" Trunks voiced as he got dishes and cutlery out for himself and Mai.

"That's the plan," Bulma replied. "Don't go to bed too late. I should be home around ten. You know to call if you need anything. I'll check in around nine. By then, you should get some rest. You know how you are when you're sick and tired."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Trunks mumbled. "So, we'll talk to you later, then."

"Right," Bulma replied. "I need to go get ready. You kids enjoy. There's pudding pie in the fridge. Aunt Chi Chi brought it in for me at work today."

"Really?" Trunks asked, slightly surprised. "Aunt Chi Chi never visits you at work. Uncle Goku, maybe, but not her."

Bulma shyly grinned. "She heard about last Friday and wanted to do something nice for us. She told me Paigen backed off for now?"

"Thankfully," Trunks huffed before returning to his previous happiness. "And Goten said the new medication is working like a charm. He's been acting more like himself."

"That's wonderful, sweetie," Bulma chimed. "Anyway, I'll be upstairs."

"Kay," both teenagers chimed.

"Thank you for dinner, Bulma."

Bulma just beamed at the two of them before they dug into their meal. She went up to her room and headed straight to her closet wondering what exactly she should wear for her evening out. She didn't think she needed to be very formal, but Vegeta did tell her that the club to which he was taking her wasn't as casual as most. She ended up settling for a vibrant, red dress with a slanted hemline fanning out starting at her thigh flowing down diagonally to right above her ankles. It wasn't too low-cut and covered her shoulders. She figured that it was somewhere in between formal and casual.

She went to the bathroom to do her hair, putting it up into wavy ponytail, and then applied some makeup before she was satisfied with her appearance. Taking a shaky breath, she left the bathroom. Bulma knew she shouldn't be nervous, not in the slightest, but she was. This would be their first date since Vegeta had found out all of her secrets. The woman was so used to being guarded and pulling away when someone got too close. Plus, there was the whole business when she fearfully pulled away when Vegeta teased her the other morning. He had still stayed the weekend and everything seemed normal, but Bulma always waited for that other shoe to drop as a defense mechanism. As time went on she was certain this apprehension would disappear.

* * *

Once downstairs, Bulma went to check on the two teenagers, still eating and lightly chatting. The mother smiled happily. The two of them looked so laid back and relaxed, so different than how Mai had been when she first came to her son's movie night. Despite this strange back and forth path, a lot of good had been yielded. Everything seemed as it should be. Bulma may have had that slight sliver of doubt that continuously shouted in her mind, but she trusted all of the good that would scare it away.

"So," she called out earning Mai's and Trunks's attention, "how do I look?"

Trunks released a whistle before grinning. "Dressing to impress tonight, huh?" he teased gently. "You look great, mom."

"Yeah, you really do," Mai agreed. "Where are you guys going tonight?"

"Some dance club that's more on the semiformal side," Bulma told them before there was a knock on the door. The smile on the woman's face was all-telling. "And I'm assuming that's my date."

"Have a good time," Trunks said excitedly. "God knows you both deserve it."

"Oh you," Bulma murmured fondly. "Alright, love you guys. Remember, call if you need me to come home."

"We'll be fine!" Trunks called as she opened the door.

Vegeta was smirking her having heard the teenager's words. Bulma was definitely consistent with her mantra any time she went out without her son. His amusement dissipated though as his eyes took in her appearance. He had never been so off-put by anyone in his life, his mouth going dry. Bulma hadn't noticed Vegeta's expression as she grabbed and slung her purse over her shoulder, but before she spoke she looked up and was caught in his gaze. "Um, hi," she nervously greeted.

The man didn't even reply, for he didn't trust his voice in the moment. He had seen her dressed up before, especially when she was at work, but this look really suited her. What she was wearing was less conservative, though still tasteful, than anything he had seen her wear.

She was drop dead gorgeous.

"Uh…"

Vegeta managed to shake off his reaction when he heard the anxiety in Bulma's voice. His slightly parted lips quirked up into an empathetic grin. That was that shyness she had warned him about, and he had to admit that quirk was…well, he didn't want to say "cute," but it was definitely charming. "Ready to go?" his smooth voice reached her ears.

"Ah…yeah…yeah I am," Bulma stammered slightly. She looked back over to the kitchen and shouted out, "Bye you two!"

"Bye, mom/Bulma," they called back simultaneously.

Vegeta didn't miss the content expression that settled on his girlfriend's face and he could already tell it was going to be a good night. "So, where are we headed? I'll drive."

"Actually," Vegeta murmured as the two of them walked side by side, "it's not that far from here. We could walk."

"It's really a nice night," Bulma stated as she continued to match his steps. "When we really get into fall, it would probably be too cold for an evening stroll."

"Maybe," Vegeta said with a shrug before he took her hand in his and pulled her closer towards him. Bulma was caught off-guard causing her to stumble slightly, but she only laughed and decided to enjoy the warmth of Vegeta's body next to her.

Vegeta, on the other hand, was perplexed by how her hand was so cold and yet she didn't utter a complaint. It was like the other night when he had gotten into bed with her and she was freezing. He wondered about it, but relaxed when her hand started to warm in his grip. Either way, it didn't seem to bother the woman one bit.

The two walked in companionable silence, Vegeta's hand encompassing Bulma's. The woman tilted her head slightly to drink in Vegeta's appearance. He had given her his full attention before putting the woman slightly on edge that she didn't get to award him the same courtesy. Now that the initial nerves had left her, Bulma sparred Vegeta a once over, and she had to admit that the man knew how to clean up. He was wearing a white t-shirt that fit well to his toned body and a pair of dark black jeans, perfectly casual yet he held himself with complete class. The simple look suited him, and Bulma actually preferred it to his business suits and tie. On the few dates she had been on with Vegeta, he hardly ever wore button down shirts, yet another indicator that his business persona was completely separate from and yet a part of him.

"We're here," he stated, stopping in front of a small, dark building. He opened the door with his free hand, gently guiding her inside and letting go of her hand as he let the door close behind them. Bulma looked around, actually surprised. They weren't really at some club, though there was definitely music and dancing. There was a swing band playing all sorts jazzy toons. Bulma looked up to find Vegeta smirking out at the dance floor watching all the couples. "I got to see a different side to you our last date. It's my turn tonight."

Bulma's lips twitched slightly in amusement as she released a laugh. "Huh. Ballroom dancing? I wasn't expecting that."

"I wouldn't call it ballroom dancing," Vegeta told her, "though after all the events I dealt with growing up, it was something I had to pick up right away. When I was younger, my father used it as a ploy to acquire associates…having me dance with all their daughters."

"That's actually kind of funny," Bulma responded. "I can picture a little you pouting as you were being fawned over by a flock of girls."

Vegeta actually chuckled at that. "That's exactly how it went, too," he jested. "So, I'm leaving it up to you. Food first, or dancing."

"Dancing, of course," Bulma answered. "I want to see what you've got."

A grin graced her boyfriend's features as he took her hand once again and swiftly made his way to the dance floor. Instantly, he pulled Bulma towards him keeping her hand in his while placing the other on her hip. Vegeta flashed his signature smirk before he started guiding them around the dance floor to the rhythm of the music, his eyes never leaving Bulma's. He twirled her around a few times and away from him before pulling her in incredibly close, entrapping her in his arms as the song ended.

Bulma's faced looked flushed, the woman slightly out of breath before she caught it and all the couples applauded the band. They had apparently caught the last song before their break, so that gave them the chance to get seated and order dinner. Bulma ordered a chicken dish and a water considering how heated she was from that fast dancing, while Vegeta ordered himself a pasta dish and Coke.

As they ate their meal, the occasionally engaged in light conversation, mainly talking about what they planned to do at the conference the following week. Vegeta, of course, was cryptic and wouldn't give Bulma a lot of information regarding what he had planned for them. It was then that Bulma informed him that she wasn't very keen on surprises, to which he just said, "Damn it, woman. Just accept it." He was certainly adamant in keeping her in the dark, though the mirth that shone in his eyes as he voiced his displeasure of her questioning forced Bulma's hand. She backed down, if only to allow Vegeta his mystery and satisfaction. Besides, he seemed very excited, and she couldn't take that away from him.

The band returned just as they finished eating, Bulma wiping around her mouth with the cloth napkin before delicately placing it back on the table. She stood up, walking over to Vegeta and holding her hands out to him. Her boyfriend chuckled at her eagerness to return to the dance floor. He hardly had enough time to place down money to cover their meals as she dragged him away.

* * *

The two of them had had a lot of fun as the night progressed, dancing to almost every song save a couple when Bulma needed a rest or to use the restroom. Of course, when she had returned, the band had decided to play a slow song. Bulma returned to Vegeta, only to be wrapped in his firm embrace, the two of them swaying to the music.

Vegeta's grip on the woman tightened as she laid her head against his shoulder, his heart beginning to race much faster than it had when they were dancing to the fast paced songs. He tensed slightly when her hands ran over his shoulders, but relaxed immediately. She had been still in his arms, so he hadn't expected her movements. Lazily, she stroked his back, and in response his hands rubbed her nearly bare arms before one snaked it's way to her neck, his thumb brushing her cheek.

Bulma sucked in a startled gasp, but nuzzled Vegeta's neck. She was actually starting to feel slightly sleepy in his arms, for they had been at work early and had been going nonstop the entire day. Her exhaustion finally caught up with her with how tranquil she felt. Vegeta clearly noticed, for his lips nearly brushed against her ear as he deeply whispered, "You wanna get out of here?" She nodded in response, and so they left the dance floor and went to the check-in counter to pick up Bulma's purse.

The two were leaving, another couple waiting for them to step outside, one of the pair gaping at the blue-haired woman and her flame-haired companion. Bulma looked back to the man who had short, dark hair and smiled. "Thank you," she called out before she and Vegeta were continuing one of their conversations.

The man continued to watch the retreating couple, noticing their joined hands, before his brow furrowed. "Yamcha, what's wrong?" the red-headed girl with him asked.

Yamcha didn't answer, for he didn't really know what to say. It had been nearly two decades since he had last seen Bulma, and she had not changed one bit. He couldn't believe that she hadn't recognized him, though he couldn't really fault her for that considering he had cut his hair a while back. Despite going to the club with a date, he couldn't help but feel slighted that his former girlfriend had been there with another man. Sure, it had been a long time, but he still harbored feelings for the woman only recently realizing that he had been a fool to let her walk out of his life. "Nothing, babe," he lied. "Let's get inside. I'm starved."

* * *

Vegeta saw Bulma safely to her apartment, the two still chatting outside her door. Bulma checked the time seeing that it was around eleven. Trunks and Mai were most likely out for the night. "Are you really planning on heading back to your apartment so late?" Bulma asked.

"It's fine," he informed her. "Trust me; I can handle myself, Bulma."

"I know that…just…" Bulma trailed off not knowing what to say. Each time Vegeta had stayed over, it had basically been his suggestion. The first time had purely been an accident after Vegeta voiced not wanting to call it a night, but the two of them being too tired to do much else. The past weekend, they had been planning to go away with her son, but plans had changed and Vegeta offered to stay. Even going to his place the night they went to the bar had been his suggestion.

She still felt bad about pulling away, especially when she really did feel safe with him. A part of her wanted to make up for that morning, letting her guard down in the process. She wanted to ask him to stay. To her, it was a huge deal. Never in her life had she actually asked a man to stay overnight. "Just?" Vegeta pressed for her to continue.

"Would you…would you like to spend the night?" Bulma finally said, gathering up her nerve. "I mean, you're here already, and I still have your clothes from last weekend all washed and everything."

Vegeta's expression softened. Bulma's pleading eyes were glistening in the light, the woman unconsciously grabbing one of her arms with her hand, nervously twitching as she waited for an answer. He couldn't find it in him to say "no" to this woman. Of course, her request had slightly surprised him, so he couldn't say "yes" either. Instead, he nodded and allowed Bulma to let them into the apartment.

After Vegeta had gone with her suggestion, Bulma relaxed only slightly. She was still nervous of the implication this had, what this meant for them, but she didn't mind it so much. To be honest, she trusted Vegeta more than she had trusted most. Sure, there were still things she could only discuss with her mother, friend, or son for they had known her longer, had been there with her longer going through it all with her. Vegeta, though, he actually cared about their future, made that very clear. It was kind of nice to put her faith in someone else, though she still was apprehensive about being completely vulnerable to him. That would leave her with time. Her mother always promised her such.

Silence consumed the apartment, so Bulma was certain that the kids were asleep. She was proven correct when she saw Mai on the couch fast asleep, a blanket covering her, one that belonged to Trunks. Bulma smiled, so proud that Trunks was so very considerate. She placed her purse on the dining room table before she and Vegeta headed upstairs.

Vegeta went into Bulma's room with her, the woman grabbing a change of clothes. She went to her bathroom to change, but peeked in Trunks's room first. Her son was out cold in bed, snoring slightly, the last remaining evidence of his cold. She was relieved that he was feeling much better. Another day or so and he would be back to one-hundred percent. It didn't make her feel any better about his sport practices while he was sick, but her son did enjoy them. That's the one reason why she hadn't fought him when he chose the activities. He and Goten really did enjoy them.

She felt bad that she would be missing his game on Friday. So far, their team had been doing really well, only losing once by a couple of points. Trunks was really excited about the game that week and the following, mainly because Mai would be going and she hadn't ever been to a game before. The girls and Gohan promised to keep her occupied along with Bunny and Tarble who would be going for support.

Both Trunks and Mai offered to go in to work a couple of days while Bulma and Vegeta were away. Vegeta hadn't been too keen on the idea considering Paragus would still be there, but Mai wasn't going to be anywhere near Vegeta's office, and Trunks wasn't bothered one bit. He didn't think the man would show up anyway, knowing Vegeta was away and all.

Her mind traveled ahead to the weeklong conference. Bulma was actually excited and glad that she could help Vegeta through the tedious formalities. After getting to know and working for Vegeta, she learned that he wasn't a patient man. He was with her, but with things that irritated him he was short-tempered. That thought alone made Bulma realize something else. Vegeta always took pride in the company he had built from scratch, but when it came to his father's company he was always on edge and irritable. A frown marred her features.

She knew that he had inherited the company, but he could have sold it. His father couldn't control his actions, and Vegeta actually did care about the company not wanting it to fall. He was trying to make it better while also being apprehensive about finally taking his role as CEO. Bulma knew the main reason he had returned to the town was to face his past, but it seemed he was only getting more frustrated.

Bulma wanted to help him. After all, he had been so amazing towards her and her son. He put himself in a lot of situations most people would shy away, more like run away, from, and he never once judged her. She had truly expected him to have issues with her once the truth came out, but he didn't put any of it on her. He had accepted that she hadn't been ready to tell him, and that had been enough for him.

"Woman."

Bulma jumped at the sound of his voice, making sure not to scream by covering her mouth as she turned to face him with wary eyes. Vegeta was perplexed by her reaction, his brow raised and arms crossed as he waited for an explanation. "Sorry," she said quietly. "I don't do well with being snuck up on. To be honest, had you touched me, I probably would have freaked out."

"Dually noted," Vegeta remarked. "You were taking a while. Everything all right? You were staring in the mirror for a while."

"I'm okay," she told him. "Just thinking."

"About?" Vegeta pressed, standing beside her.

"About you and the company," she admitted making Vegeta grimace. "I just…you always seem so bothered when we're there, but you still continue to try to recover it. It just made me wonder why."

"That's…a loaded question," Vegeta murmured. "Probably one we shouldn't have in the bathroom."

"Right," Bulma agreed, the two of them leaving and returning to her room.

They sat down at the edge of her bed as Vegeta started to explain his reason. "I…I hate my father's company," Vegeta confirmed, "but I didn't hate him completely growing up. I respected him for the longest time, as you know, until the affair came out. After that, I tried so hard to see the same hero I always believed him to be, but I couldn't, and with my mother's attitude, my own soured whenever it came to anything associated with my father."

"I can relate," Bulma sympathized. "That's how I felt about Trunks."

Vegeta nodded. To be honest, knowing her father was the reason he was willing to confide this in her. He knew she probably experienced something similar and, therefore, could offer her experience as advice and comfort. He knew he needed that. "I never wished to involve myself, but I saw the damages his employees caused while he was sick. They were snakes. It was people like them I hated, and I couldn't let them prosper when other employees suffered. Even the lower floor employees had taken pay cuts a couple of times, nothing like what you dealt with, but enough. The higher ups were siphoning the money. I got rid of all of the ones I could find or suspected. Then I gave the rest of the employees raises and bonuses for putting up with so much."

"You're a good manager, and a very honorable man," Bulma assured him. "Others would have taken advantage of the company, but not you. You're very respected, even by the lower floor employees."

"You think so?" Vegeta skeptically retorted.

"I know it," Bulma told him. "I was actually avoiding Launch last week. She was trying to get me to talk with her about you and my father. I ended up going to a late lunch and I met this guy, Broly. We've talked a couple of times and he really likes you."

That actually surprised Vegeta, not so much that Bulma spoke to the guy, but the fact that Broly was Paragus's son and actually respected him. That was not something the CEO ever expected to learn, but it was nice to know that Paragus's horrible demeanor had not rubbed off on his son. It honestly made Vegeta feel an inkling of remorse threatening Broly's job, though he knew he probably wouldn't have acted on it anyway. A child should never have to pay for their parents' mistakes. He and Bulma were perfect examples of that.

"Good to know," Vegeta grunted. "Anyway, the reason I didn't just abandon the company was because it was my father's legacy. I hated what he put me through, but the company was always important to him and the community. I couldn't let it fall under when people could have lost their jobs. This is going to sound stupid, but I feel I owe it to the bastard to save his life's work."

"It's not stupid," Bulma said with compassion, placing her hand on his shoulder causing him to look her in the eye. "You're a good son, and your father would be thankful that you've been doing this for him. I know you don't enjoy it, but you've been amazing. Even if he weren't, even if no one else says it, I can at least tell you that I am proud of you. I admire you for your strength and courage. If there's anything I can do to help make anything easier, please let me know. I don't want you to feel angry all day."

"I'm not," he stated. "At least, not anymore."

"Something change?" Bulma teased lightly.

"Yes. You."

Instantly, her amusement left, her face turning beet red. Vegeta noticed this and took advantage of her flustered stupor, pulling her to him and entangling his hand in her hair. He gently pulled on the tendrils, exposing the woman's neck, and lightly nibbled her milky skin. Bulma was so astonished by his actions that she didn't have a moment to think. That was actually a good thing. She pushed him away only for a moment before wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders, pulling him in for a kiss. The two of them continued to feel each other, relishing in every kiss, light touch, and spark that occurred between them before they finally turned in for the rest of the night.

All in all, the day had been amazing, though it hadn't started out that way. It was becoming a trend for Vegeta. He would start his day exercising, something he enjoyed doing for himself, before he went to work and had everyone irritating the shit out of him. He would then spend his breaks with Bulma in her office, even if it was just for a moment. He couldn't stand being cooped up in his office, and there was nowhere else he'd rather be. Seeing her always seemed to calm him. He'd return to work only to deal with the board questioning his competency, and then would either be stuck in meetings or share lunch with Bulma. Usually, his days would be better with the latter. Then he'd finish out the day and seek out Bulma. Sometimes Trunks would be there, and now Mai, and that also made his days lighter. He enjoyed watching the teenagers interact. It reminded him of himself back in high school with his girlfriend, though Trunks was much lighter than he had been. To be honest, Trunks reminded him of Ella and Mai reminded him of himself. Maybe that's why he had felt so invested in her situation.

Point was, he enjoyed the time he spent with Bulma. She had this air about her that lightened his spirit, even when he was in his darkest moods. He was reminded of the day he ran into his mother, thank the Lord that he had not run into her again. Bulma had dropped everything to be there for him, listening to him and trying to take his mind off of everything. Bulma was one of a kind, and he was lucky to have found her. If there was anyone he'd trust so fully in life, Bulma was it. He had already confided in her more than he had anyone else. Sure, he told Trunks about his college days and how atrocious they were, but that was because the boy needed to understand. To be honest, Vegeta could see himself telling Bulma one day. It no longer affected him, so there would be no blowout if he waited. Besides, the only reason he _hadn't_ mentioned it yet was because it hadn't come up in conversation with her. He had no qualms about her knowing.

The couple drifted off, both thinking about how lucky they had been to find each other. That chance encounter started an amazing journey, and neither would have asked for anything different. They were perfectly content with their relationship, no matter what anyone else said. That was all that mattered to them.


	24. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

"Alright, we're here!"

Tarble parked in the school lot, Mai and Trunks gathering their things from the backseat. Kids were pouring into the school from all over the place, some teenagers stopping in the lot to chat with their friends, blocking other cars. The older male just sighed, for he certainly remembered high school. To be honest, he didn't miss it. He usually only just went to Trunks's school for events, and most of the time it wasn't that bad since his sister had that wonderful habit of getting to places early.

"Thanks for the ride, Uncle Tarble," Trunks acknowledged, taking Mai's hand which the girl had not been expecting. She blushed profusely when the boy laced their fingers together. "Will we see you later?"

"Probably not," Tarble answered. "I'm working pretty late tonight. Unless you needed a ride home from practice. I can leave early…"

"Nah, we're fine," Trunks stated. "Goten said his dad could give us a ride home. I just wanted to make sure. Mom asked this morning."

"How is she doing?" Tarble asked, his voice softening. It had been a half a week since he and Bulma talked about their father, and she hadn't really spoken to him. She had already left for work by the time he got to the apartment to take the kids to school. He would be lying if he said he wasn't worried.

Trunks sighed and frowned. "Jeez…is everyone really still on that. I know I messed up…"

Mai didn't really know what was going on, but even though things had been fine since she started living with Trunks and Bulma, her friend had been distant. He spoke when he needed to, sometimes being chatty, but even when Mai didn't feel the intense need to be alone, Trunks would go off on his own somewhere. The night before, after Bulma left on her date, Mai had searched for the lavender-haired teen only to find the apartment completely empty. She was very put off by that, so she stayed in the living room watching T.V. keeping the front door locked. She had fallen asleep, but when she woke up, she had Trunks's blanket on her which indicated he had come home. Earlier in the morning, she asked him where he went and why he left, but he just chuckled, ruffled her hair, and told her not to worry about it. Everything was fine.

Now that Trunks voiced this, Mai felt very worried for her friend. What had happened? Well, she soon got her answer. "Trunks, you didn't mess up. I understand. We all do."

"Mom wasn't ready to tell you or Vegeta about grandpa. What I did was stupid. Mom's…I don't know. Vegeta was with her this morning and she seemed fine, but after he left I got the feeling that she was overwhelmed. I asked her, but she said she was okay."

Tarble smiled a little bit. "Then she's okay. That's a relief. I was worried that she would shut down like she used to… Back then I never could figure out why."

"Shut down?" both teenager's asked.

"What do you mean by that?" Trunks asked warily.

His uncle offered him a bitter smile. "There were times where your mom would shut down, and usually only Goku could coax her out of it. When she was upset or seemed depressed, I could always tell, for she'd skip meals and wouldn't sleep. I started school up and decided to stay with you guys. You were a baby, and your mother had postpartum. She never told me, but I figured it out and heard her talking to Goku once. I never understood why she asked him if he thought our dad would be proud of her, and I especially didn't know why Goku didn't just say 'yes' instead of 'it doesn't matter; you're doing great.'"

"Oh," Trunks replied. "I didn't know about that. I knew Uncle Goku knew everything about grandpa. Did mom really skip meals and stuff?"

"Only on the days she was really upset or stressed," Tarble explained. "She always said the nerves made her feel too nauseous to eat, but she even admitted she wasn't really doing anything stressful when I told her to take a break. Sometimes, she didn't even realize she was doing it until I pointed out she wasn't eating and Goku pointed out she wasn't sleeping because he either saw her online or she was speaking to him late every night. I just wanted to make sure that none of this stressed her out too much or pushed her passed her breaking point."

"That hasn't happened," Trunks assured his uncle. "I mean, we all ate the soup Vegeta cooked that night, and the next day she ate, and I don't really know about yesterday, but she and Vegeta had a date, so I'm sure she ate something. I guess…I guess it's pretty silly to feel bad if she doesn't…"

Tarble chuckled and pulled Trunks in for a one-armed hug making both his nephew and his friend stumble. "Yes, pretty silly is what I'd say. And I guess I'm silly too for thinking Bulma would still be doing stuff like that. Anyway, Trunks, don't worry about it, okay? Your mother and I had a good talk, and Vegeta doesn't seem bothered at all by your revelation. There is no reason for you to feel guilty."

Trunks's lips formed a thin line, but he nodded. Mai noted that he didn't look at all convinced by his uncle's words. Something was still clearly bothering Trunks, and Mai was determined to figure out what it was.

When they parted ways with Trunks's uncle, they stopped at his locker. Trunks had long since released her hand and had not taken it again. Instead, he gathered his books looking completely lost in thought. "Hey," she gently said, placing her hand on his shoulder. His body twitched in surprise before startled, blue eyes met hers. "You okay? You zoned out."

Trunks smiled, though he looked far from happy. "Yeah, I'm okay. Don't worry yourself. It's nothing."

"Trunks…" Mai breathed out, surprised by his wording. Something was definitely bothering him, but he wasn't talking about it. She felt like she owed it to him to listen since he had been there for her. "You know you can talk to me about it."

"There's nothing to talk about," he rejected, his voice still light. "Let's just get to your locker so you can get your stuff. Wouldn't want to be late to homeroom."

Trunks really wasn't making Mai worry any less. Her brows furrowed in confusion as he closed up his locker and started walking in the direction of hers. Over by her locker, their group of friends was waiting, and Goten seemed to look concerned. That bothered Mai more than she cared to admit. Unfortunately, Valese took up her attention, pulling her away from Trunks as Goten placed a hand on Trunks's shoulder and they both went for to the other side of the hall to talk. It seemed that Trunks would at least tell Goten, she hoped.

The two boys said they were going to go for a walk, and only moments later could Mai get away from the kind yet chatty girl when she moved onto Videl and Gohan. Mai eventually found the two boys and stayed back a tiny bit so that they wouldn't see her, yet she could still hear what they were saying.

"I'm sorry, Trunks," Goten offered, his voice full of compassion. "But…it was just a bad dream. No one is mad at you."

"I know," the teenager huffed. "Just…you know, I can't talk about this."

"Trunks, it's me," Goten murmured. "You know you can tell me anything. Lord knows I tell you everything."

"Goten, you have enough to worry about," Trunks stated. "You all do. I can handle this, really."

"Is this about what Mai said?" Mai's breath hitched, and guilt immediately consumed him when Trunks became so sullen and shook his head as he released a bitter chuckle.

"I know she didn't mean it, but she's right," Trunks weakly said. "I mean, look at me. I'm all depressed over a stupid dream. You two…mom…Uncle Tarble…you all have real problems."

"Trunks, dreams can be horrible," Goten reminded him. "You have had to talk me down after a bunch of mine. Whatever it was…the reason you can't tell me is because it's something you truly are affected by."

Trunks sighed and then took in a deep, shaky breath. "Goten… You're right. Just…it's stupid, okay. It's really not anything I should be upset about," the teenager stated. His friend just motioned for him to continue. "Well…last night, I was still feeling pretty bad about my outburst last Friday. I went out for a walk and just started thinking about all mom has done for me, everything she gave up so that I could have a good life. It just made me feel worse."

"Why didn't you call me, Trunks?" Goten questioned. "You always tell me to call when I'm feeling low."

"I just…I thought I could handle this, and I thought about that one trip mom, Gramma, and I went on a few years back. I heard them say stuff about grandpa, things mom was still bothered by, and I found out mom had suicidal thoughts when she was younger."

"Shit," Goten breathed out. "That's…I know how painful it was to find out dad had those. It was because of her father?"

Trunks nodded. "Mom once thought, between high school and college, that everyone would be better off without her. When Gramma asked why mom was thinking about them again, she asked if she was having them again, and mom said she wasn't, but Launch was still harassing her much like she is now about the conversation she wants to have about grandpa and mom said she was worried if she didn't let up that she was going to have to tell Launch."

"Okay, but what does her past suicidal thoughts have to do with what you did and what you said or thought?" Goten pressed gently.

"In my dream, because of what I did, she and Launch had the talk and mom was a wreck and she…well…" Trunks trailed off, not wanting to finish his thought. Goten's eyes widened, understanding immediately. "I know it's stupid," Trunks hurriedly added. "She seemed really good this morning, and Uncle Tarble even told me stuff about her depressions when she was younger and I haven't seen any of them, but I still feel uneasy. Before she and Vegeta left for work, I made sure to give her a really big hug. It made her smile… Goten…I haven't seen her smile like that in a while. Have I…have I been a bad son?"

Goten looked taken aback by the question before he deadpanned. "Yeah, no. Listen, Trunks, you're thinking way too much about this. Just because she smiled when you hugged her, you think you're a bad son?"

"I feel like I've been taking her for granted," Trunks huffed. "I don't deserve her."

"I think she's the best judge of that," Goten pointed out, "and she loves you. You've overheard stuff, but I have as well. I've heard your mom say to my dad that you were the best decision she ever made and that she would do it all over again the same way because you gave her life a purpose."

"She really said that?" Trunks questioned, though his mother had said similar stuff to him at random times throughout his life. He just never really understood the implication. He was little and hadn't known the full extent of what his mother had been through. "Thanks, Goten…"

"Of course," his friend replied. "Look, Trunks, your nightmare was just that. Nothing's going to happen to your mom, especially not over this. I know this is gonna sound kinda callous, but her father died ages ago. Sure, she may still have issues over the stuff he pulled, but from the sound of it she handles it much better. Everything's going to be fine."

Trunks chuckled forlornly. "Sounds like that new med is working," he teased, trying to dismiss the heaviness he had felt all morning. At that moment the bell rang and Trunks hissed. "Damn it…"

"It's just homeroom," Goten reminded him. "It'll be fine. That teacher actually likes us."

"Heh, true," Trunks agreed. "Sorry for concerning you. Like I said, it was stupid."

"It's not stupid," Goten told him as the two of them continued down the hall. "Your fears are very real. Maybe…maybe you should consider talking to someone about what you know. You could…you could tell your mom."

"No, she doesn't need to know I know," Trunks said quickly. "I mean…she just doesn't, okay."

"That's why you get so easily pissed when someone says something good about him," Goten concluded. "That's why when you heard Vegeta saying he was honorable you freaked."

"Yeah… That's why, but it's fine, now. Mom's okay, I didn't chase Vegeta off, and Uncle Tarble isn't destroyed over it, so everything is fine."

Goten stopped walking in the hall and grimaced. He noticed that Trunks had mentioned everyone else but himself. Trunks was really taking it hard, all of it, and he felt guilty over something he couldn't control. His friend looked over his shoulder when they reached their class. "You coming, Goten?"

The other teen nodded grimly, following his friend into homeroom. To be honest, it felt like business as usual, where when Goten was down, Trunks was up and able to help him through his problems, and when Goten was feeling better, Trunks went through some emotional thing. It was how both their parents were, so they were used to it. Well, after everything Trunks had done for him, Goten intended to help him through it. After all, Trunks knew his fears would never come to pass, but he still had them.

Mai was still in shock having heard everything Trunks had said to his friend, the things he knew and had been keeping hidden away for the sole reason of not wanting to upset or cause problems for anyone else. The fact that Trunks had said her words still affected him, especially when he continued to treat her so well, made her insides twist. Now she understood why Goten had come to her, specifically telling her that Trunks's life wasn't perfect. He had a good life. He never denied that, but all the people around him, all the people he cared about…Goten said he was terrified to lose her, but now she saw it ran much deeper.

Trunks was afraid to lose everyone.

She never saw it before. He could hide his pain so well. That wasn't fair to him, and Mai now could recognize it. All those moments he looked at her with pain and fear, all those moments he went out of his way to do stuff for his mother even when he didn't have to, all those late night conversations with her and Goten…Trunks wanted to make everyone's life better, to make everyone else happy, all so that he wouldn't lose them.

Mai's heart ached for the teenager as she crossed her arms and started walking the other way to get to her homeroom class. Of course, the real class had already started and she was running very late. She couldn't make it to her class before the hall monitor showed up and handed her a slip indicating that she'd have to serve detention that day.

 _Well, so much for going to see his practice…_

* * *

Tarble had easily found the guidance office, but of course no one could see him until the students were all in their classes. It was like a mad dash in the room, and the counselor Trunks knew was vehemently screeching when all the students left. She slammed the door behind her, not wanting to interact with anyone. Tarble saw the secretaries all cringe before they began chatting with each other. He caught himself wondering why the other woman was a counselor.

At that moment, his thoughts were disrupted as a woman came out of her office guiding another student to leave. The girl she was speaking to had a smile on her face and seemed really content. "Thank you, Miss Gure. That really helped."

The bald woman just wore this big, beaming smile, her eyes closing as she tilted her head, her bandana shifting slightly. "I'm glad I could help. Now, remember, if you need to talk about anything else, just go to your teacher to get your hall pass signed."

"I will," the girl replied. "Thank you again."

The student left, returning to her class, and the new counselor's attention and warm smile immediately fell on Tarble. "You must be Trunks's uncle. It's nice to meet you."

Tarble stood up instantly, his cheeks tinging pink at hearing the chime and excitement in her voice over meeting him. "Uh, it's nice to meet you, too, Miss Gure."

The woman laughed lightly. "You can just call me Gure. After all, you aren't a student." Tarble looked confused for a moment. "Yes?"

"You…you let your students call you by your first name?" he asked, clearly surprised.

Gure nodded. "I do. I feel like it is an equalizer. Where it is true that greeting a teacher by their last name is a show of respect, I feel like it gives me too much authority, so I always introduce myself as Miss Gure. Teenagers are less likely to go to those with authority for help."

"I see," Tarble marveled. "Well, in any case, Gure, it is nice to meet you. My name is Tarble."

The woman grinned and nodded, pleased that he had changed his greeting. "It's very good to meet you, Tarble. Why don't we go inside?" she suggested. "I won't keep you long, but I wanted to talk about my impression on Trunks the other day and everything. His mother will be meeting with me when she returns from a conference, but I at least wanted to throw this out there now so that she could discuss it with her son."

"Sure," Tarble agreed while following the woman into her office. She closed the door and sat down in a chair opposite from the couch he took. Tarble looked around the office and was surprised at the laidback and comforting feel he got from it. He remembered his guidance offices just having chairs. Clearly, Gure took the mental health of her students serious, much unlike that other counselor who only seemed to cause more trouble for her students.

"Now," Gure started, snapping Tarble's attention to her, "I was very impressed with Trunks, him having come to me after he had done something wrong. He fed me a story, but I didn't truly buy it."

"Yes, I know of the incident," Tarble stated. He sighed. "Anything I saw won't get out to anyone, right?"

"Of course," Gure assured him. "So there is more than what Trunks has said?"

Tarble nodded. "We're taking care of it. You see, his friend had been being hurt at home. Trunks found her one day and brought her over. My sister's friend is a social worker and is already getting a case together, and the girl is now living with my sister and Trunks. So far, her stepfather hasn't contacted her, so we are assuming he hasn't returned to see the girl missing. The day Trunks went into the locker room, she was in pain and needed help changing, so Trunks went inside to help her."

Gure looked surprised and then frowned. "That poor girl," she murmured, her sad eyes meeting Tarble's. "Is she really okay?"

Tarble nodded. "My sister has been taking care of her and got her set up in her new room. It's only been a few days, but this morning when I drove them to school she seemed happier. My sister's friend is very determined to get her free of this guy, and they already have enough evidence if he tried to take anyone to court. My sister is hoping there won't be a big blowout, but from what we've heard of this guy there probably will be. The reason it's taken the girl this long to get help was because she thought this guy were ruin the lives of whoever tried to help her. It happened before, and she had only gotten more hurt because of it, so she was afraid."

"I can imagine," Gure stated. "Well, don't worry. I won't say anything since it's already been taken care off. If nothing was being done, I would have had to go to someone."

"I figured," Tarble remarked, smiling slightly. "That's okay. Anyway, that's why Trunks really entered the locker room. Just, I've heard of the other counselor, so don't bring her in on this. For some reason, she's always had a sore spot when it comes to my nephew and his friends."

"It will be kept confidential," Gure assured him. "Yes, our computers are connected for general information, but for these private discussions, we have our own separate accounts, so I can't see anything she's written about him and she can't see anything I do. For example, I could only see that he had skipped class and was late to another, though he already explained that, and this is what I wanted to talk to his mother and you about."

"Alright," Tarble agreed, listening intently.

"You see, Trunks explained about his friend's anxiety, and I already looked into it," Gure explained. "His friend has a documented disorder."

"What does that have to do with Trunks?" Tarble asked skeptically.

Gure sadly smiled. "I am worried about your nephew," she said, shocking the man. "You see, it was clear to me that he was under a lot of stress. He's a good student. I saw his grades and all his activities. School isn't a big stressor for him, but it will become that soon enough once he starts taking AP classes and preparing to apply to colleges and for scholarships. Even if it doesn't seem like it now, he will be overtaxed later. He's responsible and smart, but between his friend's anxiety and now this girl you mentioned…I feel he would benefit if he came in every so often to talk and unburden himself. For right now, I'd suggest once a week, just so that I can get a better feel on him. I feel it would benefit him greatly if we tackled this now instead of later. Where it's a good and admirable thing for him to want to be there for someone else, he also needs to focus on himself or he could end up reacting in rash ways in the future."

"Too late," Tarble muttered quietly, though Gure seemed to catch it, her eyes widening. The dark-haired man sighed and sat forward, his elbows on his knees. "Trunks recently had a really bad day, and he made himself sick because of it. Again, this is all in confidence, right?"

"Yes," Gure replied, taking out her notepad. "Continue."

Tarble released a heavy breath and then sat up. "Well, I don't know _all_ the details, but I do know that on Friday, he had gotten into a disagreement with his friend that is living with them now. He was very worried about her, and she said something to him. Bulma didn't tell me everything about it, but I did know that much. Anyway, he left school and walked home in the rain, not telling anyone. I was home upstairs because it was my day off and I was packing since I just moved in with a friend of mine. My sister and her boyfriend were also there, but I hadn't heard them come in. Anyway, they were watching a special about the company my father helped build and run before he passed away, and I just learned that my sister and father didn't have the best relationship."

"I'm sorry," Gure offered. "That must be difficult for you. How did you find that out?"

Tarble looked away. "Well, I guess Vegeta said something praising my dad, and Trunks had gotten home and overheard him. He was so angry, angrier than I ever heard. I've never seen or heard Trunks like that before. He just yelled and actually cursed at the both of them and said all these things that my father did to my sister and made her feel before he ran out. He was missing for over an hour until Bulma and Vegeta found him soaking wet at the docks. He had gotten sick from being out in the rain for so long."

"Oh my goodness," Gure whispered. "Well, that just proves to me that my analysis was right. That poor boy…taking on the weight of the world is a difficult thing to do."

Tarble weakly smiled. "He gets that from his mother. They are two of the best people I know. I'm still in shock that they've been holding onto this so long. Trunks was…named after our father. I sort of suggested it, because he looks like dad, but I had no idea…"

Gure offered the man a smile. "You sound like you're taking this hard as well."

"How could I not?" Tarble questioned. "I…I idolized my father. He was the greatest dad a kid could have. He taught me to be independent and honorable. He would always play games with me and help me build models. We did so much together, and he did so much good for our community. He never said anything bad about my sister. I didn't see her much, but I knew she was in college and all. I had no idea… To hear the stuff Trunks said, even what my sister said when we talked about it, it's like a completely different person. Bulma even said she never wanted me to find out because she didn't want to burden me, knowing he was a good parent at least to me."

"Are you angry at your father?" Gure lightly pressed.

"No…Yes…I don't know," Tarble replied shaking his head. "It's so confusing. The man she knew wasn't the same one I knew, but at the same time, I can't not believe her. Bulma can't tell a lie. She's actually made herself sick in the past over even little white lies. She was being completely honest. She didn't say hateful things about him, only how he made her feel. It's not fair that she went through that, even less fair that she went through it alone and couldn't talk to too many about it. She was so afraid. I could see it in her eyes, and she told me that she thought I would hate her if I ever found out. How could I hate her? She's been there for me, always gave me great advice, would listen any time I complained about something, and offered me a place to stay in college and after I broke up with my girlfriend."

"Sometimes victims of emotional of physical abuse tend to blame themselves for everything that happened," Gure told him. "Even though she is an adult, sometimes those feelings linger, and even if she knows it's not true, her mind can still wander back to all the times where she felt guilty in her life. I haven't met the woman yet, so I can't say for sure, but if I had to guess, this seems like a textbook case."

Tarble actually laughed at that. "Bulma would hate that. Now I understand why she said she hated stereotypes. Sometimes I'd catch her saying she was one, and I'd try to disprove that. She always smiled when I did."

Gure grinned at him. "You see? I think your sister will be okay, though, now that you know and disproved her fears. I have to wonder, though, why her boyfriend was saying something positive about him."

"He didn't know either," Tarble interjected. "Bulma hadn't told him. I think she was worried about how everyone would react. Our father was a well-known businessman and he did a lot of charity work. Her boyfriend's company is a sister company to Capsule Corp., so she probably felt he wouldn't believe her either. I...I feel kind of bad that she thought this way."

"Are you angry that she felt that way about you?" Gure asked.

"No, I'm not angry," Tarble sighed. "Just…confused. I know we have a good relationship, but I always felt like she was very closed off. I get why now, but I just can't help but feel like I helped cause that. I would say positive things about dad all the time. It just makes me wonder if she was mad at me, too. Could I have contributed to all of this?"

"I don't think so," Gure told him. "It sounds like your sister just had a difficult time handling her emotions through the years. The fact that the two of you talked about it is a good thing. She said she was worried you'd hate her, but you comforted her and listened. That's probably more than she expected. She isn't mad at you. You aren't the one who hurt her. First it was her father, and then it was her own thoughts."

"I guess you're right," Tarble responded. Then he looked at the clock and realized they had been talking for over twenty minutes. "Uh…sorry. I didn't mean to unload all of that on you. We were supposed to be talking about Trunks."

Gure smiled empathetically. "Don't worry, Tarble," she reassured. "It was clearly bothering you and you needed to talk about it. All we needed to talk about was that I thought Trunks would benefit from talking to a counselor here and there, just so that he can speak of his problems in a safe place. Would you mind talking to your sister about it so that she and Trunks can discuss it? I don't want to force him to come. If he doesn't want to talk about anything right now, he can at least know I'm here."

"Of course I'll talk to them," Tarble agreed, smiling now. "And thank you…for listening I mean, and offering up all of that. I still don't know how to process this, but I feel better at least knowing that Bulma isn't mad at me."

"You're a good man and a good brother and uncle," Gure told him, standing up from her seat. "If you ever need to talk about it…"

"Really?" Tarble asked, astonished that his nephew's counselor was offering to speak with him again in the future. His smile softened as he thanked her.

The two of them went to reach for the doorknob, their hands accidentally meeting and brushing against each other. Tarble felt his heart skip a beat, his face turning red as he excused himself, leaving the office without looking back, though he would have seen the woman wearing a similar expression to him and left in a daze. He left the guidance area swiftly, and the stopped in the hallway leaning against the white wall. His hand moved to his chest as he placed it over his heart. He had never felt a jolt like that, certainly not his heart skipping a beat, even with the girl he had planned to marry. What did that mean, and what did it say about him?

He didn't have long to think about it as a hall monitor asked him who he was, not liking some strange adult loitering in the high school hallway. Tarble quickly explained that he had just spoken to a counselor about his nephew and would be on his way, and then he started walking away heading back to his car. Once there, he settled himself and then decided to call Bulma to tell her what Gure had to say about Trunks. Then he had to head into work, the perfect distraction from his confusing thoughts.

* * *

Bulma and Vegeta had gone into work, separating and doing their respective jobs, though Vegeta, as always, promised he would see her during one of his breaks. Of course, Bulma thought nothing of it, but usually Vegeta visited her during all of his breaks. That day, though, he had another agenda in mind.

He couldn't help but feel like he needed to speak to Launch. Bulma knew his intentions and had defended him to her stepmother, but Launch was still the woman's stepmother. She was also an employee who had been working under him for since he took over, and he did respect her. It couldn't be helped that her husband had hurt his daughter. He felt like he owed it to her to reassure her that he would not be another source of Bulma's pain.

So, after he went on his morning break, he was standing outside of her office and knocked. Launch instantly came to answer the door and was surprised to see him standing there. "Mr. Kurobushi? Did we have a meeting today?"

"No," Vegeta answered curtly. "Do you have a minute?"

Launch stepped aside to grant him access to her office, closing the door behind them. Vegeta looked around. He had never been in the woman's office before, and his eyes were drawn to the pictures on her desk. One that drew his attention was a picture of her, her husband, son, and even Bulma at a lake. Vegeta's eyes widened as he realized he probably could have guessed about Bulma's parentage if he had visited the woman before. Such a strange thought.

He gazed at the picture a little too long, noticing Bulma smiling, but her eyes even in the picture told a different story. Frowning, his eyes met Launch's. She had caught him staring. "Um…that's a picture from when we went to visit Lake Geneva. We used to live out that way, and Bulma came to visit a few times."

"Beautiful picture," he grunted, getting the small talk out of the way. "I wanted to talk to you about Bulma and me."

Launch seemed stunned, but she motioned for Vegeta to sit down, and she too took a seat at her desk. "I…I assume she told you what I said?"

"Just that you expressed concern about the two of us dating," he stated, not explaining that Bulma had been keeping her father's identity a secret. "I wanted you to know that there is no reason to worry. I don't intend to hurt your stepdaughter. I care a great deal about her."

"Then why are you putting her through this?" Launch questioned. "People have already been talking about her."

"We know," Vegeta informed her. "We don't care, though. None of their opinions matter, but yours does. I am not here for your approval, and I'm certain Bulma doesn't really care if she has it either, but I respect you as an employee. You are Bulma's stepmother and are prone to worrying about her, so I just wanted you to know. This isn't a fling or a one-night thing. We have only been getting to know each other."

"You're aware she has a son who too would be affected by her relationships, right?" Launch countered.

"I am," Vegeta stated. "I have been getting to know Trunks as well. He is a good kid, and very bright for his age. He's actually my assistant as an internship."

"What? I didn't see any paperwork…"

"I handled it myself," he replied. "I realize that you are apprehensive about all of this, but my intentions are pure. I don't intend to hurt them, but even so, Bulma is a grown woman who can make her own decisions. She doesn't need your protection. She's a brilliant woman who has a good head on her shoulders. She's understanding and kind, more so than anyone I have ever met. I wouldn't do anything to affect that."

"You really are serious about her," Launch stated.

"I am," Vegeta agreed.

The woman then sighed and shook her head. "Alright, fine. I won't bombard her with my concerns anymore, but I also don't want to hear that you've hurt her in any way. You're a good businessman, but at the same time I know very little about you."

"To be honest, I knew less about you when I hired you," he told the woman. "I still don't know much about you now. But I trust that we both want what's best for Bulma, and so I am putting my faith in that."

"Yes, I agree," Launch stated. "And with that…" She trailed off.

"Hm?"

She sighed and said, "You clearly care about her, so I have to ask…is there any way you can convince her to speak with me about her father?" Vegeta's expression grew grim, and Launch noticed. "I take it she's told you some stuff about him."

"Some," Vegeta lied slightly. "We should not be discussing this."

Vegeta stood up and started to head to the door. "Please, just listen," Launch stated, and Vegeta paused in his stride. "I just…I just think it would be good for her. I don't want her to suffer anymore, and I feel that if she knew why her father did the things he did, she would be able to process it all."

"I can understand _why_ you want to talk to her," Vegeta started, "but she doesn't need that. And that's not just my opinion." He turned to face Launch, glowering at her. Launch actually jumped at the intensity of Vegeta's gaze. "Only Bulma can decide what is best for her. I will not try to convince her to do something that she has already decided won't help her. You need to stop trying to pressure her. This conversation you want to have…it's up to Bulma whether or not she wants to have it."

With that, Vegeta turned back around and left the office, hurrying back to his desk leaving Launch in a daze. She was surprised that Vegeta felt so strongly about it, and she wondered what exactly Bulma had told him and what he thought he knew. Still, she didn't want to push her daughter away, so she would have to remain silent about it, at least for now. Obviously, Bulma had confided in Vegeta what she and Launch had been discussing lately. Apparently, Bulma trusted Vegeta, and Launch figured she needed to focus on that. After all, Vegeta had just proved himself, going to her not for approval but to explain his intentions. At least her concerns of Bulma being left to pick up broken pieces were laid to rest.

* * *

By lunch time, Trunks was feeling much better, thoughts of the dream finally put behind him. It had taken a while, though, considering how bad the nightmare had been. But he knew it was just his subconscious playing tricks on him. His mom was happy, so he should be happy too. Mai was safe, Goten's meds were working, and his mother was with a great guy and nothing bad had happened because of him.

"So, you guys are going to be on your own next week?" Videl asked, clearly shocked.

"Nah, my grandmother is staying with us," Trunks explained.

Videl just said, "Oh, well that makes more sense. I was surprised. I mean, I know my dad leaves me to go to his competitions, but he calls like eight times a day and usually sends in a nanny or something. I'm a teenager…I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, but he cares about you, and that's what's important," Mai interjected, darkening at the thought of her own situation. She snapped out of it fast and looked up to see many eyes on her, all filled with concern. "Uh…yes?"

Videl seemed to soften, and then she sighed. "You're right. I shouldn't be irritated. I know I'm lucky, but I just wish dad was home more."

"We understand," Gohan offered. "If you want, though, next time your dad is away you can see if he'd let you stay with us. We have a guest room."

"Yeah, thanks for the offer, but I highly doubt my dad would let me stay over the house of two boys I know," she wryly stated. "He already gives me hell about boys, saying I can't date anyone unless they're as strong as he is."

"Well, I guess that makes sense," Goten murmured before chuckling as his brother blushed. "Means you better get training, Gohan."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Gohan huffed. "So, you guys have practice today. You girls going?"

"Uh-huh," Valese chimed, smiling brightly. "Right Mai?"

"Actually…" Mai muttered. "I sort of got detention."

"Detention?" Trunks repeated. "Why?"

"I was late to homeroom," Mai admitted. When Trunks again asked why she was later, she blushed and then looked away. She couldn't tell her friend that she had been following him and eavesdropping. Her mind constructed a better story, but it meant she'd have to reveal something to the others in the group, though she knew that Goten had already known and thankfully kept quiet. "I guess there really isn't any need to hide it now."

Mai uncovered her bandaged wrists, and the others in their group stared at her with wide eyes. Both Trunks and Goten were shocked that she was finally going to tell the others, but to be honest they were thankful that she felt close enough with the others to say something. "What happened to your wrists?" Valese asked, her concern evident.

"Well…" Mai trailed off, looking away. "I'm…I've been having a difficult time at home. My stepfather is…kind of violent when he gets pissed off over stuff and takes it out on me."

"What?" Gohan breathed out in disbelief. He couldn't fathom how anyone could harm another person.

Mai nodded. "Yeah, it's kind of unbelievable. In the past, I tried to get away, but he always found a way out of it, making it look like I was just emotionally distraught and trying to harm myself. Trunks found out, and he convinced me to talk to someone to get help, and I've been staying with him and his mom since Saturday."

"Jeez," Videl rasped. She had always thought that Mai was just this bad girl hanging out with the wrong crowd, but she could now understand why she did it. Mai didn't want to be approached by anyone. She was trying to hide her life, but Trunks had always pursued her for whatever reason. Videl always watched thinking Trunks was completely pathetic and that Mai was a terrible bitch who was turning away a pretty nice guy. When she started spending time with the group, Mai was there and Trunks always defended her, and the two had gotten really close. Now, Videl actually felt for her fellow classmate, and she was relieved that Trunks hadn't ever given up on the girl. If she was in Mai's situation, she'd want an out, too.

"But anyway, I was trying to change the bandages because they got wet," Mai lied. "That's why I was late."

"You could have texted me," Trunks told her. "I could have left class and met you to help you."

"After you helped me in the locker room?" Mai scoffed. "Yeah, we could have done that, and then Paigen would have threatened us all again. Besides, it's no big deal. Next time I'll be more careful and won't get them wet."

"Next time?" Goten grunted.

"There won't be a next time," Trunks firmly stated, reassuring his friend. "Juu will handle Zarbon when he gets back. You're on your way to becoming independent, so everything will be okay."

"Yeah, you're right," Mai whispered. "Thanks."

"Anytime," Trunks offered, grinning. Mai actually felt better seeing Trunks acting like his usual self. He seemed lighter than he had in the morning when he told Goten about his nightmare. Perhaps she didn't need to worry too much. It seemed like Goten had gotten through to him. She only hoped that one day he would be able to get passed what she said and trust her with his problems the same way he trusted Goten, though maybe that was hoping for too much.

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, and the six students said their goodbyes before they parted ways to their next class. It seemed like everyone took something from their shared meal, and they all left with the feeling that they all knew each other a little better. It was a good thing for them, Mai especially. She still couldn't believe she had gotten lucky enough to have real friends. She promised herself that she would make everything up to Trunks, for he had been her first friend and continued to go above and beyond to help her. She would have never gotten this far without him.

* * *

Bulma was astonished when Vegeta came to her for lunch. This past week, he had always been held up for lunch, and with the conference only a couple days away she hadn't expected him to be free around lunchtime. It was a pleasant surprise, even more so when he whisked her away for a lunch date at the harbor restaurant, this time no heavy discussions taking place.

The two had some time to kill before they needed to head back to the office, so they decided to go for a walk in the nearby park. It was fall, and the weather was beautiful. They walked deep into the park, finding a secluded bench before they decided to take a break and just enjoy the breeze and colorful scenery.

"Mm," Bulma hummed, leaning into her boyfriend. "It's beautiful back here. I love the fall."

"It's a good season," Vegeta agreed simply. He didn't really have a favorite season. He rarely ever took the time to just sit and relax. Still, with the craziness at the office, he just needed to get away. With everything Bulma had been dealing with, most likely she needed the escape as well.

"Yeah, my favorite. I just love the sweatshirt weather, hot drinks, breeze, leaves changing, and Halloween, of course. That's my favorite holiday."

"I didn't know that about you," Vegeta remarked, slightly surprised. "I would have expected it to be Christmas or Easter…not Halloween."

Bulma just laughed. "I am not a stereotype." She thought about that for a minute before shaking her head. "Actually, you know what, I am, but not about that. Of course I love Christmas and Easter, but Halloween is my favorite. I'm not really big on the whole horror aspect, but I enjoy the fall, the pumpkin picking and carving though I have not carved a pumpkin since I was a kid. Also, those bedsheet ghosts are pretty cute."

Vegeta chuckled and shook from the building up of laugher. "Woman," he called out, voice amused as he forced himself not to laugh. "You're a fucking enigma, you know that?"

"Thanks," Bulma accepted, which caused the both of them to laugh for a short moment before Vegeta pulled Bulma closer. The action caught Bulma by surprise, her hand moving out to steady herself against his chest. Next thing she knew, his hand was in her hair, and she could feel him tugging at the band with which she used to make her ponytail. Her irritated eyes met his, the dark orbs full of humor. "What are you doing?"

"I like your hair down," he said simply as he carefully rolled the band out of her hair. "You look freer that way."

"I also look less presentable," she deadpanned as he handed her the hair tie. "I was trying to look more professional. Plus, it's safer to put my hair up when I'm working in the lab."

"You can put it up then," Vegeta responded, smirking at the woman's frustration. "For now, I want to do this."

Before Bulma could ask him what he was doing, Vegeta started running his fingers through her long locks. Her body shivered when his fingertips gently grazed the skin of her scalp and neck. As he reached her neck, his touch became much softer, and she twitched beneath him and against him. He released a deep chuckle, his chest vibrating underneath her. The things he was making her feel Bulma couldn't even describe. It was such a perfect moment. She didn't want his ministrations to end even though she thought about pulling away and reaching up to kiss him. Slowly she tilted her head and move to place a kiss on his lips.

His phone chose that moment to go off.

Vegeta heaved a heavy sigh before releasing the woman, answering the phone with an irritated, "What?" His eyes widened slightly before they narrowed in pure anger. "Get him out of there. He had no business being in my office. And I don't care about whatever excuse he has to offer. He is in no way to set foot in there unless I am present and we have something to discuss. I'll be heading back shortly."

He hung up the phone, purely pissed at what Nappa had to tell him. It seemed Paragus believed he had the right to do anything he wanted at the company, including snooping around Vegeta's office. There was nothing to find there, but certain documents were confidential and Vegeta alone had the authority to review them and no one else. "I take it Paragus is at it again?" Bulma asked. Well, she hit the nail on the head.

"I'm losing my patience with him," Vegeta huffed. "He has taken too many liberties and is trying to purposefully ruin the company so that the board will not look upon me with favor."

"The board knows you've been doing an excellent job," Bulma assured him. "Last meeting, they seemed to be on your side over his."

"You're right, but for how long?" Vegeta grunted. "In this world, the only thing anyone gives a shit about is money, who's making the most, who can get the most deals, who would benefit the company the most. That's how my father's corporation always worked. I hate it."

"Yeah, I understand," Bulma remarked. "Before you, that's how I thought all businessmen thought. I mean…after seeing how my father treated me when I didn't really ask for money ever… I don't know. I always had a negative association in my mind regarding businessmen. I can agree you're nothing like them."

"Strangely, that means a lot," Vegeta remarked. "In any case, I need to return and secure my office. I have a list in there of the employees who are getting bonuses this month in them. I don't want him getting his hands on that because he'd be pissed."

"Let me guess, all the 'lower employees,'" Bulma figured. Vegeta nodded in response, grimacing at the words Paragus and the board always spoke. That's what she liked about Vegeta. Lime was so excited when she received a bonus immediately after she started. She did her job well, and certain employees made less than others. Instead of reducing the higher up salaries and increasing the lower salaries which he wanted to do, Vegeta chose to give bonuses to those employees. He was still trying to win favor among the board, so he refused to make any cuts at the moment, but the other employees still deserved more than what his father had been paying them. Last month, he had done the same thing, and that had incensed Paragus immensely.

"We should head back," Bulma lightly said, standing up from her spot on the bench. Vegeta looked at her, eyes intense. He had really just wanted to continue what they had been doing before. It was much more pleasurable than dealing with Paragus once again.

"Yeah…"

* * *

Later in the day, across town, Zarbon finally returned from dealing with out-of-town business meetings. Dodoria was starting to piss him off. Sure, he had worked for the company for a while, but he had been losing his touch. He would say things that could ruin deals, admitting truths behind the loopholes for starters. Frieza had been enraged, and it was up to Zarbon to go and fix it. They did not want to lose their partnerships with businesses, so Zarbon needed to make amends with the CEOs and then implement new constraints that also contained a certain amount of unnoticeable loopholes. It was becoming harder and harder to suck a company dry.

What he really wanted was to go back into his home, get dinner, and maybe relieve himself of this unquenchable rage. Of course, when he entered all the lights were out and there was no sound to be heard. Immediately, he went in search of Mai, and he came up empty. Where was that little bitch? She knew better than to be out this late, even if she had worked on a project with that 'Lavender' kid. His mind went directly to the worst case scenario, that Mai had foolishly run away. He normally gave her the benefit of the doubt, but her defiant behavior before he left was bothersome.

He was about to call his brother. After all, where would Mai go but to Pilaf. That little pest had been a thorn in his side since the woman died. He actually tried to buy Mai off of him despite having little to no money. It was pathetic really. There was no way Zarbon planned on giving Mai up, not when she was the last reminder of the woman he lost.

Before he could even dial, there was a knock on the door. He wondered if it was Mai, returning home, possibly having forgot her key. When he opened the door, though, there was a smirking blonde woman with chilling blue eyes standing with two officers. "Zarbon, I presume."

The green-haired man crossed his arms defensively. "Who wants to know?"

The woman's amusement never left. "My name is Juu, and these officers here are my brother, Jay, and his friend, Tien. I'm a social worker for the city and I'm here to search the place to follow up on an anonymous call we received from an old woman." That last part was a lie, but to protect the people involved, Juu had to mislead him. Zarbon would immediately assume that Mai contacted her, and Juu was trying to avoid that at all costs.

"What old woman?"

Juu only laughed. "Well, that's the anonymous part. I have no idea." She became very serious. "Now, either let us in willingly or these lovely officers will show you the warrant we have to search. We want to take care of this as quickly as possible."

"You'll find nothing," Zarbon claimed.

"You sure about that?" Officer Jay spoke up. "You see, I studied cases like this, houses like this. There's always secret compartments in these old homes. For example…" Jay walked over to the fireplace and elbowed a loose brick that opened up the wall over the mantle and revealed Zarbon's whip. "This looks like a pretty good place to start."

Juu took out her notepad and wrote something down before she asked her brother, "Any signs of use?"

Jay nodded. "There's blood and skin on the tip. We'll be taking this in for evidence. Tien, accompany my sister while I search for the rest."

Zarbon was seething, especially because no one had ever been able to find one shred of evidence in the past.

It took some time, but many weapons were found in the course of the search, Jay knowing every hiding place. Juu was actually surprised as how perceptive her younger brother was. He was never like that growing up. She smiled. At least this time there would be no question whether or not Mai was telling the truth.

In the girl's room, Juu saw the trashcan full of bandages, and the first aid kit was almost empty. The room was practically bare, and Juu knew that Mai hadn't come to Bulma's with much. She was truly a prisoner in this home for way too long. "I believe I have all I need, but let's talk. Jay and Tien will stay with us because I honestly don't trust you."

Zarbon was beyond angry, but he sat down at the kitchen table with Juu. She then slid him over what looked to be a copy of a medical report, Mai's medical report. "Now, I don't have to tell you how damning this all is. I know you're a man who prides himself on image and reputation, so let's come to a civil agreement, shall we?" He didn't answer as she slid other documents. "This form is to relinquish your custody over Mai, and the other, well that's already been submitted by me. It's a restraining order stating that under no circumstances are you allowed anywhere near your stepdaughter. If you see her, you go in the opposite direction. You won't call her or threaten her. As long as you agree to adhere to the constraints of the restraining order and to willingly surrender your custody of her, we won't have to take this to court. Isn't that a good deal?"

This woman was too smug. Zarbon sneered at her, feeling completely furious. Of course, he knew he had no other choice or Frieza would have his head. The last thing their company needed was bad publicity after what Dodoria had just pulled. Reluctantly, his hand moved to the pen, filling out the form while Juu wore that never-ending, arrogant smirk. He would find a way to overcome this, but until the conference was over, he could do nothing.

"Thank you for your cooperation," Juu chimed as she left with the officers. "I'll be putting a rush on this, so your custody is officially over. The restraining order is already in effect."

"Get the hell out of my house," Zarbon spat at them.

"Gladly," Tien sarcastically retorted, the three figures leaving his home.

Zarbon would find a way around this. He always did. There was no way that he would let these people get the best of him. There was no way he'd let Mai get away with this betrayal. He would take none of this lying down. Every last one of them…

They were all going to pay.

* * *

Vegeta couldn't believe the board called a meeting once again. Did they not realize that while they sat there discussing what should be done for the conference, he should actually be taking care of everything he needed to do for the conference? There were two days before he would be away from the company, two days before all the people he trusted besides Trunks and Mai would be with him. Well, at least he could lock his door when he was away. He didn't trust what Paragus would do while he was away.

"So, at the conference," one of the members spoke, "you should definitely look for new business partners, but you should also nurture our relations with our current partners, Capsule Corp. especially. Please give them our sincerest congratulations for fifty years of business and our condolences for the death of Dr. Trunks Briefs."

Vegeta didn't visibly react, but Raditz noticed his fist clench around his pen. By that action, he already figured out that Vegeta was already aware of who the man really was. "I will be sure to do that," Vegeta stated. "I would have anyway. I have done this on my own for my own business, a multibillion dollar corporation if memory serves. I do not need direction."

"Oh?" Paragus scoffed. "Then please, tell us your talking points in regards to getting fresh blood."

"First of all," Vegeta scoffed, "I would not call them that. It's as degrading as it is insulting. These corporations aren't meat, and you would do well to remember that. For starters, the way to get anyone involved with us is to ask them about their companies. You can tell who has wonderful success and who needs a bit of assistance based on their attitudes. If one takes pride in their company, they get this gleam as they talk about their successful projects. Stroking their egos before discussing deals and partnership is key."

Some of the board members began chattering, their remarks very positive. Though they never thought of that, they agreed with the young CEO. One of them asked, "And what would you do for those who aren't as successful?"

"Every company has potential, even if they're floundering," Vegeta stated. "Calm and helpful. That's what they want. They don't want to be ridiculed or questioned because they don't have all the answers. Offering up one of our own strategies shows that we aren't trying to 'defeat' other companies while also showing that we don't mind assisting our fellow company. We don't want to pressure them into making deals, so I would offer them my contact information in case they need any more pointers."

"Ah, nurturing future relationships," an elder man praised. "It does seem like you've got this down to a science."

Paragus huffed. "So, ego stroking and giving away trade secrets? You won't be talking about any of our products. No one will care if we don't give them something to back it up."

"Exactly," Vegeta countered, smirking at the fuming man. "That's just the start of the conversation to get them interested, starting a dialogue. Once I have them, once they express interest, that's when I'll be informing them about past products. Our newer stuff that Bulma and the other researchers are working on will be kept under wraps until partnership is formed."

"Enticing them with a secret," Raditz chuckled. "Diabolical. Everyone wants to know what the competition is doing next. It will make them wonder, and then they'll call in to set up appointments once they return to learn more."

"I have to say," Nappa marveled, "that I've never felt more prepared for this conference. The former CEO would be proud."

Vegeta's expression darkened slightly, his eyes full of emotion as he nodded. Paragus seemed to notice the emotion and felt his luck turn around. He remembered how Vegeta reacted the last time, anger…pure rage. He needed to bring it out now. "Spare us, Nappa," he spat. "Mr. Ouji is probably rolling around in his grave that his entitled brat is at the helm."

Brows twitched, fist clenching again as Vegeta took a deep calming breath. Raditz could see the building fury, the tips of his ears turning red as he tried to control himself. He knew shit was about to go down, so he took out his phone and texted the one person that could salvage this meeting before it became a train wreck. Paragus was clearly trying to portray Vegeta as argumentative and irrational. He had been doing it all along.

"In fact, the only reason this random passerby is even here is because of his father's will," Paragus continued to goad. "Of course Mr. Ouji would be fair and leave his assets to his only child, but this son of his abandoned the family. He's only here because he wants the company's money. He's only in it for the publicity."

"If that were true," a familiar feminine voice softly interjected, "then Mr. Kurobushi here wouldn't have sold his other company and disappeared for a time."

Vegeta's dark eyes softened at the sight of his girlfriend. What was she doing there? The meeting was last minute, and he hadn't had the chance to grab her. "Who the hell invited you?" Paragus growled in irritation.

"I did, actually," Raditz stated. "Thank you, Bulma, for taking time away from your busy schedule to join us."

"Always," Bulma replied, walking over to him and Vegeta and taking a seat. "Now, I know I'm a little late, so catch me up, please."

Nappa started talking before Paragus could say anything else seeing as the board was too stunned. "Well, Vegeta was discussing his strategies for making new deals with some of our competitors while we're away at the conference, all very effective methods. Other than that, you haven't missed too much, miss."

"Yes, just some insult being flung around," one of the board members hissed as he looked at Paragus. "It was uncalled for, and you should apologize to Mr. Kurobushi. This meeting is about the conference, and this room is supposed to be for us to discuss strategies, goals, accomplishments, and pitfalls to ensure future growth of the company. It's not a place to discuss family quarrels we know nothing about."

Vegeta was surprised to hear one of the board members defend him, taking his side. In all of the meetings, that hadn't really happened. The elder man from before said, "Yes, Mr. Ouji may not have wanted to give up his position, but when he tragically passed there was nothing that could have been done. He had ample time to change his will and select a new CEO. It was discussed multiple times with the board, and Vegeta swore up and down he would want no other than his son to take over. It was his decision, not yours, and Mr. Kurobushi is doing his father proud."

Bulma noticed Vegeta flinch, his eyes glossed over and brows furrowed. "What?" he asked, his voice unusually quiet.

The man who had been speaking looked over to the CEO and smiled. "To be honest, he requested we not say anything. He always said he had the feeling you wouldn't react well if you knew he wanted his company to go to you. Sure it was in the will, but it wasn't out of obligation. Even before your company took off, before he spoke to you again, we attempted to convince him select someone else in case the worst happened. You had disappeared off the face of the Earth, it seemed, but your father always believed you'd return one day."

Guilt was not something Vegeta was used to feeling. Back after Ella had died, yes, but never regarding his father. It took him by surprise. He didn't think he could feel anything more confusing for his father than the respect and disdain at the same time. "I…" he stated, his voice raw with emotion. "I need a moment."

"Of course," the board member said warmly. "We discussed the majority of what was needed. You seem to be very prepared."

"The hell he is," Paragus argued, slamming his fists down on the table. Bulma flashed the man a heated stare, but he was undeterred. "I don't care what you all believe, but he cannot be trusted. Haven't you noticed where are the bonus money is being siphoned? None of us have seen any of it."

"And neither has Vegeta," Nappa interjected. "Tread carefully, Paragus. After all, you were the one who hired those two joke employees. Maybe it isn't Vegeta's trust that needs to be called into question."

Vegeta was hardly paying attention to what was going on around him, his mind elsewhere, slightly berating himself. He had stayed away for self-preservation, because he had nothing left to say to the man who had let him down. What the hell did he need to feel guilty for? He was so out of it, but a gentle touch snapped him back to reality. His eyes moved to his fist that was gripping a broken pen, Bulma's hand wrapped around his. He looked to her and took a deep breath to calm himself mimicking her actions. Only Raditz noticed, for the rest of the board, Nappa, and Paragus were all arguing around him.

"I had no idea that those two couldn't handle the work," Paragus defended himself. "I apologized to the board for not seeing through their ruse. When I interviewed them both, they had the right answers and energy. I figured after they went through training, they'd be ready. Clearly, I made errors in judgement, and I have owned up to them. It will not happen again."

"Of course not," another voice interjected, "because we have a better solution. Vegeta has proven that he has the company's best interest in mind. I believe he should be granted more responsibilities that we have allowed. At first, due to your prompting, we put him on sort of a trial period without his knowledge, and so far he's proven himself to be the CEO we need. We already agreed to give you a second chance, but I believe that Mr. Kurobushi can make a preliminary suggestion. He should be the one to review the resumes and then pass the ones he's selected to you. That way we have both of your input. Is that all right with you, Mr. Kurobushi?"

Vegeta had stopped listening a while ago, staring intently into Bulma's eyes as she helped him through whatever the hell had just happened. She had taken methodical breaths in and out, encouraging him to do the same, and he now felt very calm. Still, he hadn't been paying attention to the heated discussion. His mind was still reeling with that the board member had told him, the one thing his father didn't want him to know.

That he had faith his son would return.

The board members could tell that Vegeta was no longer with them, and the older male who had turned the man's world upside-down smiled compassionately. "We can discuss it when Mr. Kurobushi returns from the conference. Meeting adjourned. We won't have another until after the conference. Vegeta." The CEO finally looked to him. "Take the rest of the day off. You've earned it."

His composure returned to him. "Fine," he sighed. He looked to Bulma, his expression soft. "Let's go."

"Right," she agreed, thankful that she really hadn't had to do much interjecting.

The two left the room, Paragus glowering at their retreating forms. No one had questioned the fact that Bulma was holding the hand of the CEO on the way out. The little harlot was clearly playing everyone, and that bastard son of Vegeta Ouji was just as conniving. He'd find a way to take them both down. There had to be something. He already had his suspicions about Bulma and what she was after. There was no way the CEO knew the little web of lies she weaved. And then it hit him, what he could do to tip the balance. Bulma was Vegeta's center during these meetings, so all he had to do was get rid of the center. The roles would be reversed whence the two returned from the conference. And it all started with a phone call.

"Yes, Mrs. Ouji," Paragus spoke into the receiver. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I think your son has gotten himself into something more than he can chew."


	25. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Hey everyone! So, this chapter concludes my pre-written chapters, so now updating will be sparse, but I will do my best. With the holidays coming up, I'll be incredibly busy, but I'll make time here and there for writing. Thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing! All the support is appreciated.

* * *

Though there were a couple days left in the week before Bulma and Vegeta had to leave. After the kids had been finished with practice, Goku had driven them to Bulma's apartment actually meeting Vegeta for the first time. They didn't really get a chance to talk since Chi Chi wanted her sons home before supper, but Goku made sure to give his best friend's boyfriend a big bear hug. Vegeta had been unprepared for such a move and tried to push the man off. The laughter of his girlfriend reached his ears, and when he looked over at her he could almost see joy radiating from her. Clearly, she was hoping the two of them would get along. He finally pushed Goku off of him and dusted his shoulder before he nodded at the other man and went back inside the apartment.

That night, Bulma and Vegeta had worked together to cook dinner for them and Trunks and Mai. The four sat at the table, Trunks retelling about his day leaving out all of the anxiety he had been feeling. Even Mai discussed how she told the rest of their group about her situation. Bulma and Vegeta had both been impressed by that. To be fair, they hadn't expected her to be so forthcoming so soon after being so closed off, but neither could have guessed the real reason she did such a thing.

Despite not knowing about her son's inner turmoil, Bulma eventually pulled her boy aside to talk to him privately. At that time, Mai had turned in early, and Vegeta was upstairs taking a phone call from Nappa. It was the perfect time for the mother to talk to her son about what Tarble and Gure had spoken about that day. She wondered how Trunks would react. She didn't want her son to feel like she was ambushing him, so to act as a cushion she made some chocolate chip cookies and tea.

Trunks had showered and then went down to the kitchen finding his mother waiting for him. He noticed the cookies and could smell his favorite cinnamon vanilla tea. "Okay, I'll bite," Trunks said with a chuckle as he took a seat at the table. "What's up, and how bad is it?"

"Nothing is wrong," Bulma offered with a smile. "I just wanted to talk to you about something. It's about what your uncle and guidance counselor discussed today."

"Oh," Trunks murmured in shock. "Uh, am I in trouble?"

"No, son," she assured him taking a sip from her own tea. "Miss Gure just wanted to discuss the possibility of you speaking with her every so often."

Trunks was surprised, and it was visible in his expression. "Why, if I'm not in trouble?"

Bulma laughed lightly. "Trunks, you don't just speak to guidance counselors when you're in trouble," the mother reminded. "She thought what you did was very noble, to confront her and protect your friend, but she's also worried. She knows about Goten's condition, and Tarble explained the real reason why you were in the girl's locker room." Trunks faltered slightly. "It's all being kept in confidence since Juu took care of matters. To be honest, she thinks you would benefit from talking to her. High school is going to get more stressful, Trunks, and you're carrying a lot of weight on your shoulders. You can think about it, but it might be a good thing to talk to someone about whatever you're feeling."

"But, I'm fine," Trunks lied. His mother saw right through him.

"Are you?" Bulma pressed gently. "You aren't still upset about last weekend?" Trunks was about to deny it, but Bulma held her hand up stopping him. "I can see it in your eyes, son. And you did nothing wrong? Don't think I've forgotten what you said to me that night."

"I…I was hoping you were distracted enough," Trunks admitted. "With Vegeta and the conference coming up, I thought maybe we wouldn't have to talk about it."

Bulma shook her head fondly. "You are so much like me. Trunks, talking about what you're feeling is important. If anyone knows that, it's me. I was very foolish to hide who I was in fear of fallout. Everything has worked out for the better. What you did was okay. What wasn't okay was how angry and volatile you got and how you ran out into the rain and got yourself sick. You are my son, and I'm worried about you keeping things bottled up. I know you're growing up and less likely to come to me in certain instances, but you need someone to talk to. You know you can tell me anything, and that policy won't change even if you do decided to speak with Miss Gure."

Trunks's head and shoulders slumped as guilt returned to him. He could tell his mother was worried, and he felt awful for being the one to cause that. "I'm okay, mom, really, but sure. I'll talk to Miss Gure. She was nice, anyway. Just…don't worry so much about me."

"You're my son," Bulma said lightly. "It's Mom 101 to worry about your children. Please, don't keep things bottled up, okay? And I still want to talk about that night."

"I was stupid," Trunks stated, plainly and simply.

"You weren't stupid, Trunks. You were upset. There's a difference."

"Yeah, I know, I know," her son retorted. "I was upset. I was upset over what was happening with Mai. I was upset by what she said. I felt guilty because I feel like she was right. You've all been through so much, and what have I been through. I've wanted for nothing. I have you and you're the most understanding mother anyone could have. You give me, not free rein, but the ability to see my friends and have them over whenever I want, as long as I let you know. You can't tell me that if I wanted to have a party this week, you would be against it as long as a million people didn't show up and destroy the house. Everything is so easy for me."

"Not everything," Bulma cooed. "Trunks, I've tried to make life easy on you because it wasn't for me, and you know that. No child deserves to be put through what I went through or even what Mai is going through. Do you think it would have been better if I decided to become my father and sat here criticizing your every breath?"

"No," Trunks answered with a sigh. "I would be a different person if that was the case."

"Exactly," Bulma settled. "You are a good son, the best I could have asked for. You are a better person than I am, and I am so unbelievably proud of you."

Trunks grinned sheepishly. "No one's a better person than you are, mom," he countered. "But thanks… I've wanted to be a good son and make things easier on you. You've done so much for me."

"That's because I'm a parent, Trunks," Bulma explained, taking his hand from across the table. "It's my job, and it's been the most rewarding job I could ever have. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You were the best decision I have ever made. I'm just sorry if you've ever felt like something was missing because of my choices."

Trunks was reminded of Goten's words from that day and felt relief to hear his mother voice the same words. Though, the second part of her statement made him wonder. He knew what she meant. Back when he was in middle school, Bulma had asked him if he felt like something was missing because she was his only parent, but he thought he had gotten her to drop it when he said he had her and his grandmothers and uncles and needed no one else. Secretly, though, he had always wanted that one person to look up to, to show him what he needed to be. It was a silly, childish desire that he knew stemmed from seeing other boys with their fathers, so he kept it quiet. He loved his mom, and he didn't want her to think that he criticizing her. "Mom, you know I don't feel that way," Trunks whispered. "You're enough. You've always been enough. How could I possibly want any more when I have you."

"Trunks," Bulma murmured softly, smiling sadly. "It's okay if you do feel that way. I know I did. Even though I always had mom and she was the best I could have asked for, I always wanted to know my father. I wanted him in my life. Even though I had my grandfather and my uncles, even when they took me to those father/daughter dances, it always felt different. I was thankful, but I had that longing. So believe me, I would understand. I know it doesn't mean I'm inadequate or anything. Every child naturally wants their parents."

"Mom, I…I never knew that," Trunks whispered. "I mean, I guess I never asked. I guess there's a lot I still don't know about your past."

"I've told you the majority of it," Bulma stated. "You know a lot about the good times I had with Gramma, and both the good and bad I had with my father. I've come to terms with a lot of it, and to be honest, that little story about the dances, I just haven't thought about in a while, because my life turned out wonderfully the second the doctor places you in my arms. You are my heart, Trunks, and if you ever feel that longing or down or angry, you can tell me. I want you to be happy, yes, but that doesn't mean you need to hide what you're feeling from me."

"I'm sorry," Trunks offered. "I…didn't realize that you could tell. I guess I didn't hide it all that well after all."

"You aren't supposed to hide it," Bulma reiterated. "And I could always tell because I know you. I've been with you during all your ups and downs, and even though you're a teenager it is no different. I'm here for you, just like I know you're here for me. We have a bond."

"True," Trunks huffed. "Okay, fine. Let's say I am longing for a father, I definitely am not longing to meet the donor or anything like that. I'm not that kind of idiot who believes blood is everything."

"I figured as much," Bulma responded.

Trunks heaved a sigh. "But…I don't want to say what I'm feeling. I know how some guys are, and where I really like Vegeta, I don't know how he'd feel if I told him he was the closest thing I ever had to a father. I don't know what it is, but I can feel it. If there was ever someone too look up to, it's him, but isn't that…strange. I mean, you guys haven't been together long. I don't want to scare him away with that."

"You don't have to worry about that," Bulma reassured, smiling at her son's widened eyes. "Vegeta understands, Trunks. We both had pretty crummy fathers, and Vegeta was worse off because both of his parents caused problems for him. He wants to get to know you, too. He's told me that from the beginning."

"Really?"

"Of course," Bulma laughed. "Again, you're my kid. We're a package deal, right?"

Trunks's eyes lit up, warmth and mirth returning to them as he smiled and said, "Right. You're right. I guess I'm just used to watching guys hit on you and then leave when they see me."

"Those guys aren't worth my time," Bulma agreed. "You don't have to worry. I'm glad I met Vegeta because those guys you mentioned are the kinds I wouldn't want to be dating. They still need to grow up."

"Mom…" Trunks sighed after the momentary energy renewal left him. "I…there's something else I want to talk to you about."

"Go ahead," Bulma encouraged. "What is it?"

"I know you aren't mad at me about spilling about grandpa, but how are you doing with all of it?" Trunks questioned. "I don't want you to be upset or hurt directly or indirectly because of what I did."

"I've never been better, Trunks," Bulma answered honestly. "I was so scared of what the fallout would be. I did plan on telling Vegeta that weekend. I never wanted to Tarble to know because I never wanted him to be burdened, but I also had this irrational fear that Tarble would hate me. I always believed everyone would think I'm a liar."

Trunks was surprised, but he couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, no. You lying? You could hardly hold it together when I asked you about Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy. I do like how far you were willing to go even though it unraveled pretty quickly. I think that postal man thought you were crazy."

"Oh…quiet, you," Bulma said with a pout before she grinned. "Yeah, that was a pretty silly fear, huh? Anyway, I'm glad we had this talk. I'd hate for us to leave on Friday and with this still up in the air. I don't want you to give last weekend a second thought. We should both focus on the future."

"You're right," Trunks concurred. "Everything seems so much better now. Everything is looking up. Mai's here and safe with us. Juu got that restraining order on Zarbon. You and Vegeta are together. Goten's medicines are working well."

When Trunks didn't mention himself, Bulma asked, "And you?"

Trunks's eye glimmered with happiness and hope. "Me? Everyone I care about is safe and happy. I'm good."

Bulma really believed him, especially with how light he seemed. He was no longer hunched over on the table, and his shoulders weren't tensed or slumped. She was really glad that they had reached an understanding during this talk. It seemed that her loving son had been so worried about her feelings above his own. He was so selfless, and she admired that, but now he understood. She was his mother and his fears and stress were hers as well. He didn't need to go through life alone or hiding himself. A thought occurred to her about what she had been doing, and mentally she laughed at herself. She and her son really weren't all that different, which was both good and bad. Good because she knew her boy would be a positive influence on anyone he met, and bad for these obvious reasons. Miss Gure couldn't have come to the school sooner, and Bulma was once again thankful at how blessed they were. She had no worries for the upcoming week. She would make sure Trunks would be able to contact her while she and Vegeta were away, especially if he needed to talk. This would be a turning point for everyone, including the two of them.

* * *

Friday came around without incident, and Bulma was ready for this trip with her boyfriend. They had left work early to return to Bulma's apartment. Trunks and Mai were settled at home doing their homework in the dining room. Bunny was due to arrive very soon to take care of the kids for the week they were away. Bulma actually felt better about leaving, for Juu had graced them with a phone call the night before saying that Zarbon had silently relinquished custody of Mai and was aware of the restraining order. The kids would be safe, and that was what Bulma cared about.

Eventually, her mother showed up and happily told the teenagers that she had plans for them during the week and how much fun they'd have. Bulma and Trunks were used to Bunny's antics, but Mai immediately became shy again. She had only been around the boisterous woman a few times.

"So I want you to behave for grandma," Bulma stated.

"Mom, we're not little kids," Trunks countered. "Just go. Have a good time, both of you."

Vegeta nodded at the boy. "You two are free to go to the company whatever days you'd like. Just make sure to fill out your timesheets and submit it to records. All you have to do for now is take down messages and such. My office will be locked thanks to some unwanted snooping the other day."

"Speaking of locked offices," Bulma stated, "Mai, here's a copy of my key. Help yourself to whatever's in the fridge in there. Basically, your duties are the same as Trunks for the week. There won't be any paperwork brought to the office."

"Okay," Mai replied, taking the key from the woman.

"We need to get going, now," Vegeta stated reminding Bulma that they were at a time limit. They needed to get to the airport.

"I know," Bulma replied. "Oh, I'll miss you guys." She pulled her son and Mai in for a group hug before releasing them. Then she looked to her mother. "Call if you need anything or if anything happens."

"Don't worry, Bulma," her mother chirped. "Nothing is going to happen. Everything will be fine."

Before the woman could say anymore, Vegeta corralled her out the door and sighed. "Your goodbyes take forever, woman."

"I know, but I can't help it," Bulma laughed. "I'm a concerned mom and well, it's a thing in our family. My father's mother always called it long Brief goodbyes. We always say goodbye, then talk some more, then say goodbye again, and so on and son on."

Vegeta only chuckled at that. "I once again state that you are an enigma."

Bulma only offered a smile before taking his hand. "I'm your enigma."

His heart skipped a beat when she made that claim, and his hand gripped hers hard in response. "Yes, woman. My enigma."

* * *

"Ma'am…are you sure this is okay?"

Raditz had picked Lime and her boys up, and they had reached his mother's home. Gine had already been made aware of her two little houseguests and she didn't mind at all. What was stranger still is her older son never brought home a woman, not since his first girlfriend in high school. They had been engaged to be married, even lived together at one point, but it didn't work out.

The one who was truly baffled was Goku. He was sitting at the counter gaping at the woman. The two little boys were being shown to Raditz's and Goku's old rooms by her eldest son. They had already seemed to take a liking to him. "I mean…it's not too much of an inconvenience, is it? I could-"

"Nonsense," Gine said warmly. "There's nothing to concern yourself with. We need a little life in this house, right Goku?"

Goku finally got out of his stupor and grinned at the woman. His mother said her name was Lime, and if he remembered correctly, Bulma had a friend named Lime who had also gotten a job at Ouji Corp. and was a single mother for two boys. This woman fit that bill. "Yeah, it's not a problem. We'll look out for them. You're Bulma's friend, right?"

Lime seemed surprised that her coworker was mentioned so casually. Hesitantly, she answered, "Yes?"

Goku's smile never faded. "Bulma's been my best friend since grade school. Our kids are really close. She's mentioned you before."

"She did?" Lime questioned. She actually kind of felt happy that Bulma had considered her enough of a friend that her friend accepted her.

"Yeah," Goku replied. "In any case, don't worry. Mom's good with children, and she loves them. You're doing her more of a favor. And I live close by, too, so between all of us, they'll be taken care of."

"I really appreciate that," Lime said, relieved. "Um, but I have to ask…why were you staring at me so intently."

"Oh, that," Goku murmured. "Well, to be honest, I'm shocked. Raditz hasn't introduced us to a girl since his high school days." He started rubbing the back of his head. "It kind of threw me for a loop."

Lime didn't get a chance to respond or question as Raditz returned downstairs with her energetic boys. They seemed even more excited now, and Lime wondered what had changed when they were shy mere moments ago in the car. "Mom, it's so cool! Raditz showed us some of his old toys. There's race cars and remote helicopter. He said we can use it outside while he's gone."

"With supervision of course in case it goes out of control," Raditz stated, looking over to his mother who nodded. "It's a very old toy."

"There were also a lot of board games," her youngest son cheered. "We can play them, right?"

Gine laughed at the children's excitement. "Of course we will. For now, why don't you boys wait in the living room and watch some T.V. I'll get out some snacks."

"Snacks?" Goku questioned abruptly. "Can I stay?"

Raditz rolled his eyes and snickered. "You're just a little kid inside, aren't you?" he teased.

At that, Goku frowned, his eyes narrowing. "When I can be."

His older brother flinched at the cold tone, clapping his hand on his shoulder. "Meant nothing by it. Honest."

"Sure," Goku surrendered, letting it go.

Lime didn't understand the exchange, but Goku instantly returned to his chipper self as he got to helping his mother with the snacks. The woman told Gine where her children went to school and left her contact information, even though Gine could clearly contact her son. Raditz watched as the beautiful brunette went to kiss her two boys goodbye.

He still couldn't believe he was doing this. Raditz was always impulsive, but those impulses usually regarded which woman he was going to enrapture and whose place they were going. He never really got crushes, and he never invited crushes to go on a week-long vacation before even asking them on a date. Sure, they talked at lunch…a lot, but that still didn't mean he should throw himself in, not after his high school girlfriend.

Was he crazy?

Maybe he was just coming down with something.

But, strangely, when Lime looked at him, amusement dancing in her eyes, Raditz didn't really care. "Ready to go?" she asked him.

"Yeah, let's get out of here. We have a flight to catch."

* * *

Vegeta followed closely behind Bulma as they debarked the plane, the woman looking up at the bright and sunny sky. She smiled as she let the sun's rays pour over her pale skin. Her boyfriend noticed this, a soft smirk gracing his features. "The weather is so nice here," Bulma said excitedly. "And the flight was great, too. I'm not used to flying business class. How much do I owe you for that?"

"Nothing," Vegeta remarked. "It was taken care of by the company, anyway. You needn't worry."

Bulma pouted, chewing the inside of her mouth making one of her cheeks puff. "Fine," she surrendered.

It looked like the woman was learning, and Vegeta didn't mind telling her the little, white lie. Truth be told, the company paid for his ticket, but he wanted Bulma to accompany him the whole way. He wasn't going to let her sit by herself on the plane. During the mild turbulence they felt when they started, Bulma was latched onto him and shaking. Had she been alone, most likely she wouldn't have reacted in such a way. She would have kept her fear to herself.

"We have a car waiting for us," Vegeta told her, taking her hand. "Let us go retrieve out belongings and head to the hotel. We'll have some time to order room service and relax."

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

The resort was beautiful, and Bulma was surprised by the view from their room. She was looking directly at the beach, the palm trees shifting due to the island breeze. It hadn't been the only impressive sight. When they first arrived, Bulma was amazed by the size of their room. Apparently, suites had been rented, and whoever ran these conferences had the rooms well stocked in case they needed anything during the course of the week. Everything was so elegant. It wasn't something Bulma was used to, but Vegeta paid it no mind. In fact, he found her awe charming and teased her about it so many times. She had been far from gruntled.

Vegeta had joined her outside on the balcony and leaned on the stone wall in front of them. He had to admit that the committee outdid themselves this year. The last resort they were sent to was not in an area this nice, this peaceful. Here, they could truly relax, though Vegeta would have his company obligations and would have to attend many seminars and presentations. Still, he would have time with Bulma, time away from the office and their lives. He would have her all to himself.

"So, what time do we need to start getting ready?" Bulma asked.

"Not yet," Vegeta told her. "We have a couple hours. What would you like to do?"

Bulma flashed him a smile, her eyes filled with excitement and wonder. "Do you think we can go walk the beach for a little while? The water looks so lovely. I want to go to the water's edge."

"I think we can manage that," Vegeta agreed. "We can grab lunch out too. The meals they had stocked for us are those disgusting freezer meals."

"Too much for your eclectic palate?" Bulma teased pressing her lips to Vegeta's in a light kiss.

The man only chuckled as he returned her affection. "I'm used to cooking my own, _edible_ food."

"That is a good point," Bulma replied. "Your food really is amazing."

Vegeta preened at the praise. "Of course it is," he boasted. "I excel at everything I do."

Bulma's face alit with a fond smile, and the woman took Vegeta's hand pulling her with him. "That you do," she murmured, her eyes never leaving his as he allowed her to lead him. "Now, let's go have some fun. We deserve it." Well, Vegeta wasn't going to say no to that.

* * *

They returned a few hours later after sharing a nice lunch by the water, Bulma having tried fish tacos for the first time. The two had then walked hand in hand, Bulma's wrap flowing in the wind as they walked side by side. The sand on the beach was so fine and smooth, and the crystal water felt wonderful at their feet. During their outing, Bulma couldn't help but muse that Trunks would love the scenery. She was taken aback when Vegeta suggested they return in the summer during Trunks's and Mai's break. What had surprised Bulma was that Vegeta was already thinking that far ahead in his life, and she was still in it. She tried very hard to calm her thumping heart.

When they got back to the hotel, Bulma was actually surprised to see Raditz on the same floor as them, but what was even more surprising was his date. Bulma hadn't known that Lime, her closest friend at work other than Broly, and her best friend's brother were seeing each other. What amazed her even more was that she had never seen it before. Raditz was a player by trade, but his reasons stemmed from past hurt. Lime was just like Bulma when it came to trust. The fear Bulma had had growing up was Lime's reality. The man she had been with left not wanting anything to do with the boys. He had stuck around for the first kid reluctantly, but once the second one came along, he left. He left a note with the word "goodbye" and Lime hadn't heard from him since. Sure, Raditz seemed like the type anyone would want to steer clear from, but Bulma knew that if he was bringing Lime along anywhere, he would treat her right and never let her go. Her friend was in good hand.

Vegeta had quickly washed up and dressed in his business suit and then left Bulma to work on herself. He had a feeling she'd take quite a bit of time to get ready for the evening meet and greet. While he waited, he flipped through some of the stations to find something decent on television to take up the silence. Strangely enough, he was no longer used to the silence except at his office.

He didn't glance up when Bulma came out of the bathroom, not right away, at least. When he did, though, his mouth dropped open. Bulma was wearing a very elegant, floor-length, deep blue dress, and her hair was up in a classy bun exposing her pale neck and shoulders. The man swallowed nervously as he took in her appearance. In that moment, Vegeta wanted to undo her, take her composed form and force her into a blissful, untamed state. He could imagine it, but there was a time and place. No matter how much he wanted engage with her, he couldn't. If their walk in the park was any indication, Bulma would flip out on him if he tried to unravel her bun. It was bad enough she hadn't wanted him messing with a simple ponytail. No, he would have to wait until later, when they were alone, when she was ready to let her hair cascade down. It was a moment to which he would look forward.

"So, is this good enough?"

Vegeta answered with a curt nod as he turned off the television. He knew it was time to get the pleasantries dealt with at this conference, to start working on gaining new clients and partners. He knew it was necessary, especially if he expected to return Ouji Corp. to its former glory. It was a work in progress, but Vegeta had faith in his goals. He also had faith that the woman standing beside him would continue to be an asset, and he was certain that anyone they spoke with that night would feel the same.

* * *

The whole place was crowded with people, many already deep in discussion as Vegeta and Bulma entered the scene. Immediately, Vegeta found Nappa and Raditz with his date and went to discuss strategy. Nappa pointed out to Vegeta the CEO of Capsule Corp., and Vegeta felt Bulma tense. He and Raditz offered for her to stay with the others instead of going up with Vegeta to give her sympathies, but Bulma refused and told Vegeta she could handle it. Nappa was clueless and confused. He tried to get information out of Raditz, but the long-haired man simply went off with Lime to get something to eat.

The man that took over at Capsule Corp. was a younger, thin man with auburn hair. He seemed very approachable, so Vegeta took the initiative and introduced himself to the man who ran a partner company. "Ah, Mr. Kurobushi," the young man said. "It's nice to finally meet you. I hope you have been doing well."

"I have, thank you," Vegeta answered, not once releasing Bulma's hand even as he shook his partner's hand. "I trust you have as well."

"Of course," he replied. "And who is this lovely lady with you. She looks quite familiar, actually."

Bulma flinched but forced a smile. "I doubt it, but my name is Bulma, sir, Bulma Hamasaki."

"A beautiful name," he commented. "Again, it sounds familiar, but I can't put my finger on it. Were you one of our employees."

"No," Bulma dismissed quickly.

Vegeta decided to interject before the line of questioning continued. "I just came over here to say how sorry we at the company are for your loss. It has been a long time, but I know all of you at the company must still be feeling it."

"Thank you, Vegeta. May I give you the same courtesy, from all of us at Capsule Corp. Your father was a good man and an excellent businessman. We couldn't have asked for a better partner, and we're so glad you took the reins."

"I appreciate that," Vegeta managed to get out even though he too wanted the conversation to be over as soon as possible.

"It is difficult when the men that taught us the most leave us," the other CEO pondered. "To be honest, Dr. Briefs was like a father to me when mine had passed. He taught me everything he knew about the company, and because of him I became CEO and have been able to keep all of his good work alive. He treated us all like family."

"Of course he did," Bulma whispered under her breath hurt by the words she was used to hearing.

"What was that?" the CEO asked having not heard her.

"Nothing," Bulma answered, shaking her head. "I just remembered I have to go speak with my friend about something."

Vegeta reluctantly released Bulma's hand, but he understood her need to get away. He just needed to endure a few more moments of pleasantries before he could return to her side. His eyes never left her form until she reached Raditz and Lime. Thankfully, Nappa had gone off somewhere to speak with another partner of theirs. Even better, the CEO's wife had returned to him, so the man excused himself and Vegeta was let off the hook as well. That had been much more tedious than he thought.

"Hey," Bulma greeted weakly as Vegeta returned to her. "Sorry I bailed on you."

"You don't have to apologize," Vegeta assured her. "I wanted to as well. It's my obligation, not yours. Besides, you didn't need to deal with what he said."

"Yeah, that really sucks," Raditz stated. "For both of you I mean. Nappa went to deal with our other partners so you can just focus on making new deals and such."

"Well, we better move fast, then," Vegeta replied, looking to Bulma. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I am," she ascertained. "I promise I am. I just wasn't expecting that last part. I mean, I should have, but I didn't."

Vegeta took her hand, lacing their fingers together. "Well, the hard part is over, then. Everything else should be a piece of cake."

So, the two of them went back into the fray, and Vegeta used his two surefire strategies to acquire new partners. Bulma was amazed at how well Vegeta carried himself, and how he managed to increase interest in his own company. He even had her explain some of their older products and the mechanics behind them which left many impressed with her as well. Unfortunately, too impressed.

Zarbon had overheard the scientific discussion from where he was standing. He had been deep in conversation with some of the partners they had yet to screw over when he overheard the Ouji Corp. CEO engage with another company. Excusing himself, he went over to his boss to inform him of the development. Here, there was nowhere for Vegeta Kurobushi to run and hide. He had no choice but to speak with them. It was the true reason that Frieza had even bothered going to this conference.

Of course, it was difficult to get the CEO alone. He was well-known and popular, so that wasn't a surprise. Most had heard about this strategic businessman. His one company forged from nothing became one of the most successful. No one knew why he had given up his position, and when he became the CEO for Ouji Corp. his name was heard all over the place. Because of the change in name, no one had associated him with the late Vegeta Ouji, so when it came out that he was the man's son it had been this huge scandal.

Vegeta Kurobushi was a mystery. Everything he did seemed so subtle, and yet he was more successful that even Cold Enterprises. Frieza wanted to get involved with Vegeta, and he refused to take no for an answer. He had been persistent from the very beginning, and now it would finally pay off.

As soon as Vegeta was freed up.

Eventually, the blue-haired woman beside him excused herself to the ladies room. Zarbon smirked. He knew exactly how to entrap Vegeta, and the man would come to him. Frieza seemed to notice this as well and decided to wait until Vegeta was in both their sights. Bulma came out of the restroom and searched around for where Vegeta had gone. The room was crowded, but Zarbon had been right there, off to the side, waiting for her. "Excuse me, miss," he greeted smoothly, flashing the woman a coy grin.

Bulma jumped when she heard the stranger's voice and looked over offering a timid smile after she jumped. She really did not do well when someone snuck up on her. It surprised her that anyone had gone out of their way to talk to her. What did this man want? She took the time to eye him. He was well-dressed, had his long, jade green hair tied up, and wore a charming smile. Bulma could tell this man probably had a lot of female attention. He was good-looking, and he seemed ready to charge any woman at this conference. But Bulma wasn't any woman, and she was in a committed relationship. This stranger approaching her, whatever his agenda, didn't hold a candle to Vegeta.

"Can I help you?" Bulma questioned, her voice completely diplomatic. She had no intention of feeding into the man's flirtatious nature. She wanted to get straight to the point.

Zarbon was put off by the response, but he didn't let it deter him. "Yes, actually," he replied with a chuckle. "I think you can help me. You can start by giving me your name."

Bulma had to force herself not to roll her eyes. This guy had to be kidding. She really hadn't expected anyone to really flirt with other people at the meet and greet, though she was reminded of Vegeta saying his father used to send him off to dance with businessmen's daughters. She could understand why Vegeta wasn't thrilled with these type of events if this is what it was like. "My name is Bulma. You?"

The man's grin widened, and for a second Bulma could sense a hint of malice from him, as if he had won something and intended to do something terribly wrong. Why she felt that way, she didn't know, but she always trusted her woman's intuition, and now she regretted feeding into any conversation with the man. "My name is Zarbon."

Instantly, Bulma's blood ran cold and she tensed, though she hoped the man beside her could not tell. She knew she had the chance of running into Zarbon at the conference, but she had no idea that he would actually end up coming up to her on day one. She knew he had no idea who she was, and yet her mind went to Mai and her son back home. Sure, they were safe while they were all out of the country, but Bulma was worried that Zarbon could see right through her. Her eyes widened slightly, but she managed to regain her composure before too much time passed and Zarbon grew suspicious. "That is a strange name."

Zarbon laughed, and it made her stomach drop. "No stranger than Bulma. So, I happened to see you with the current CEO of Ouji Corp. Do you work there, or are you just here as Mr. Kurobushi's date?"

Bulma wasn't going to hide it. She certainly wasn't ashamed of Vegeta, and it was obvious with her being there. "Both, actually," Bulma answered honestly. She said nothing more, hoping beyond hope that he would walk away. He didn't seem to get the memo.

"Interesting. My boss has been trying to arrange a meeting with him for quite some time," he indicated. "His new assistant had said his schedule was completely booked before and after this conference. Is it really that busy at Ouji Corp.?"

The woman was slightly surprised, for she knew Vegeta's schedule pretty well. If his "new assistant" had said that, it indicated that Vegeta told Trunks to lie about his availability. He did not want to meet with Zarbon's boss, and knowing what she did about Zarbon, she wondered about his boss. If Vegeta did not want to meet with him, that was a huge deal. Bulma was not about to out her boyfriend. Thankfully, she didn't have to.

"Bulma?"

She nearly released a sigh of relief but refrained when Vegeta's voice came from behind her. Turning to smile at him, Bulma reached out for him and Vegeta was instantly at her side. He had seen Bulma talking with the stranger, and the look in her eyes suggested discomfort. Whoever he was, his girlfriend was far from thrilled to be dealing with him. He had excused himself from an old partner with his last company who was looking to make an appointment with him once they returned. "Who is this?" he questioned, his voice giving off a hidden threat.

Bulma opened her mouth to speak, but the other man beat her too it. "I am Zarbon, Mr. Kurobushi. My boss, Frieza Cold, has been looking to speak with you for quite some time." He noticed the CEO's eyes widen before they narrowed again. "I trust your assistant gave you the message."

"He did," Vegeta remarked. "But I believe he also explained that my schedule was full."

"We do understand that," Zarbon remarked. "However, in light of the fact that you are both here, Mr. Cold would like it if the two of you could speak sometime during the week. This is what this conference is all about, after all. Well, that and getting some leisure time with your _date_."

Vegeta's grip on Bulma's hand tightened. He had been caught off-guard when the man, Zarbon apparently, revealed that he worked for Frieza. It did not help the case that Zarbon was the monster that had harmed Mai. That fact alone did not sit well with Vegeta, and now he was even more reluctant to get involved with the dirty businessmen. He was about to give an excuse, any excuse, to avoid meeting with Frieza. He had absolutely no desire to deal with either of them.

"Ah, Zarbon, I see you've stumbled across Mr. Kurobushi," Frieza's voice reached them, and it grated on both Vegeta's and Bulma's eardrums. "Vegeta, it's an absolute pleasure to finally meet you face to face. It's nice that you were able to attend the conference this year with your _increasingly busy_ schedule."

This had been the moment Vegeta had been trying to avoid and his aggravation was clear, but he played it off. "Yes, things have been hectic as of late. I suppose that's what happens when you inherit a new company right before a big conference. I believe my assistant explained that we would contact you for an appointment the second one was freed up."

"There's no reason to mislead one another, Vegeta," Frieza said, his voice still light with something much darker behind his tone. "You have been dodging me for a very long time, even at these conferences. Let's be straightforward from now on. There is no need to sugarcoat."

"You're absolutely right," Vegeta agreed, and Bulma could feel the tension pressing down on her. She had no idea what was going on between the two businessmen, but she realized that they were in some sort of standoff. "I don't like the way you do business with others. Therefore, I have no interest in _anything_ you have to offer or say. The news has done a good job of explaining the hell I walked into upon inheriting Ouji Corp., so I must focus on that. You, in my honest opinion, are detrimental to the business."

Anyone else would have been incredibly offended. Frieza Cold, he was certainly a conundrum. He just laughed, actual laughter full of delight and amusement. Vegeta openly gaped at the man before glaring over at his chuckling lackey. Zarbon covered his mouth in attempts to conceal, but failed. "Forgive us both, but that is the first time someone has actually attempted to tell Mr. Cold off. We have been working with our employees to try to fix loophole problems in contracts that end up harming our partners. It was never our intention, and the employees that have exploited such intricacies have all been reprimanded and dealt with, some even fired."

Frieza chuckled, unfazed by Zarbon admitted that fallacies of their agreements. "Your concerns are noted, but all I wish is to talk about a project I've been wanting to start. I only wish to discuss my ideas with you. If you aren't interested, which I'm sure you will be, you do not have to go into business with me. When you have time this week, before the conference ends, I would like us to meet. How about tomorrow before presentations begin?"

"My associates and I will be very busy," Vegeta argued, still having no desire to meet with the snake again. His grip on Bulma's hand tightened, nearly causing her pain, but she simply squeezed back inconspicuously. "There will be little time to-"

Bulma's phone chose that precise moment to go off. She had decided to upgrade her phone plan in case Trunks needed to get in touch with her while she was out of the country. "Excuse me," Bulma stated. "I need to take this."

"Of course," Frieza crooned. "In fact, Zarbon, leave us alone as well. I would like to speak with Mr. Kurobushi privately."

"As you wish, Mr. Cold," Zarbon agreed going off, supposedly in the opposite direction of Bulma.

* * *

Bulma exited the room and looked around to make sure she was alone. To be honest, she didn't trust the two men with whom they had been speaking. Certain that no one had followed her, Bulma answered the call. "Trunks, how are you doing?"

" _Good,"_ her son replied. _"I know you're probably busy, but I wanted to say goodnight and make sure you guys got there okay."_

Bulma smiled. Her son was so sweet. "We got here fine. I'll send you pictures tomorrow. The beach is really beautiful. You would love it here. Actually, Vegeta mentioned something about summer break..."

" _Really?"_ Trunks asked, sounding slightly surprised before he exclaimed, _"That's awesome!"_

"Mm," Bulma hummed. "Are you behaving for grandma?"

" _Mom…"_ Trunks whined. _"You know I am."_

"I'm just teasing, son," Bulma laughed. Her voice then became serious. "How is…" She looked around again not wanting to say Mai's name just in case. Trunks seemed to understand her, though.

" _Mai is doing okay,"_ Trunks assured her. _"Uh…I kind of played this horror game while grandma was resting. A guy at school leant me and she freaked out a little, but we're watching some comedy to offset that…"_ He weakly laughed, a little bit nervously.

"Trunks," Bulma said, her voice becoming stern. "What's the rating of the game?"

" _Uh…"_

"I'm going to guess a game you probably shouldn't be playing?" Bulma interrogated nervously. "We've talked about this. The last time you played one of those, I had a guest in my room for two weeks."

" _Yeah, yeah, I know,"_ the boy responded. _"In my defense, I heard it wasn't…too bad. And it really wasn't. I mean, you probably would have been freaked out, but it was fine."_

Bulma snickered as her son's voice became a little more anxious. "Alright, tell me that if you need to keep the lights on for a week," she teased. "Do me a favor and at least wait until you're seventeen before you start playing more of those M rated games. You don't need nightmares."

Trunks sighed. _"Yeah, you're right. I just wanted to see if it was any better than the one I played last year. Anyway, we'll stop. Besides, I don't think grandma would be happy about it. Oh, also, I forgot to tell you, but we won the game! Uncle Tarble and Gramma took us out for pizza after."_

"That's great, sweetie," Bulma praised. "You didn't get hurt, did you?"

" _Nah, I'm fine. No need to worry. Anyway, you probably need to go back to whatever you were doing, right? Did I call at a bad time?"_

"You can call me whenever you need me, Trunks," Bulma assured him. "You're my son, and my top priority. I always have time for you."

" _Thanks, mom,"_ Trunks murmured. _"Tell Vegeta I said 'hi,' okay?"_

"I'll be sure to tell him," Bulma replied. "Goodnight, Trunks. I love you."

" _Love you too!"_

Bulma hung up her phone and sighed before chuckling, muttering fondly to herself, "That boy."

She saw that there was another restroom in the hall and decided to take a breather and maybe touch up her makeup since she was already there. Hopefully, when she returned to Vegeta he would be away from those men. What the woman didn't know was that her boyfriend was already far away from Zarbon, for the green-haired man had been hiding and listening in on her conversation.

When the woman disappeared from view, Zarbon stepped out from his shady corner looking quite perturbed. He had heard that woman, Bulma, speaking to her son. Trunks…that was the name of Mai's friend. There was no doubt in his mind that the boy had convinced Mai to stay with his family, and now he found out that the mother of that boy was there. An idea hit him, and a smirk alit his face. He slinked out of the empty hallway and headed back to his room to think up all of the specifics. This family was going to pay, regardless of their association with Vegeta Kurobushi.

* * *

Meanwhile, back with Frieza and Vegeta, the flame-haired businessman was staring down his enemy. Frieza looked very sure of himself, though he did move to ruffle his own magenta hair. "That woman, your assistant, the two of you seem to be very cozy, hm?"

"She is not my assistant, and that is none of your concern," Vegeta growled. "Why bother bringing her into this? I thought you wanted to discuss a meeting arrangement in private."

"I'm getting to that," Frieza ascertained. "To be honest, I'm surprised to see you here with a date. I've seen you at other functions alone, though I was never able to get to you. Now, I know you'd like to avoid meeting with me. I know you'd like to spend some time with that woman. I only hope you get the chance."

Vegeta's eyes narrowed. Frieza said nothing that would appear suspect, but Vegeta heard it and he was pissed. "What are you saying?"

Frieza looked affronted. "Why, nothing at all, Vegeta. I was only saying that life is short, too short at times. I'm sure there's a way for us to meet _and_ for you to get some alone time with her. I think you understand, correct?"

Gritting his teeth behind his clenched jaw, Vegeta's ire skyrocketed. He managed to keep his composure. It would do him no good to make a scene, but this bastard was deliberately making threats against Bulma in exchange for one meeting. And it was a death threat too! What was wrong with this man? What was wrong with his employees? What was wrong with his company?

They were all too damn corrupt for his taste.

"I understand," Vegeta reluctantly bit out. "One meeting, Frieza, tomorrow, nine o'clock in the hotel restaurant, one hour. That's all you get, and I want to make this clear. I will under no circumstance sign anything or agree to go into business with you. I will simply hear you out, but that is it. And you will leave Bulma out of this regardless of anything I say or do. Do _you_ understand?"

Frieza smirked viciously, showing his pearly white teeth. "Oh, I believe you have made yourself crystal clear. Though, I am confused. I have no idea what you mean about bringing the woman into this. Wherever could you have gotten something like that?"

He was taunting him, but Vegeta needed to make sure Bulma was safe. She was important to him, and this madman was not going to go anywhere near her if he had any say. "It doesn't matter. You are to leave her be. You and your employees will have nothing to do with her and will go nowhere near her or else even the meeting we agreed upon is off."

Vegeta walked away, not giving Frieza a chance to respond. He honestly couldn't be near the man another minute of her would have punched his lights out. Finding Bulma was his top priority. After seeing Zarbon there, Vegeta had little trust in what would happen around them. He needed to get to his woman, immediately.

Thankfully, Bulma returned to the room in that moment looking like her moment of air was worth the time away from her. She seemed so much better and refreshed than when she was frazzled at Zarbon's appearance. Vegeta assumed Trunks had called her. Maybe the mother just needed to hear her son's voice and make sure everything was okay back home. Well, for the rest of the night, he didn't care about formalities. He and Bulma met up with Nappa and Raditz, and Vegeta gave the men instruction on what to do. But he and Bulma were done for the night. Vegeta needed all the time in the world to prepare for his meeting with Frieza the following morning.


	26. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Wasn't planning on writing another chapter this soon, nor was I planning on posting for this story for a while. Still, it's Thanksgiving, so I wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and this is the only story I have a chapter prepared for, so yeah. Anyways, I hope you enjoy. Have a good day, everyone!

* * *

Vegeta was dreading this meeting with Frieza. He couldn't believe that the man had the audacity to threaten him into it in a room full of people, either. Though it felt like he could have avoided this mess, he realized that Bulma's life would have been in jeopardy. Between Frieza and Zarbon, Vegeta had no trust in what they would do. If Zarbon could hurt a female child, what could he do to a full-grown woman?

Speaking of which, Vegeta was watching Bulma as she got ready for the day. Though he hadn't told her anything the night prior, she had picked up on his mood so easily. Not wanting to concern her until he knew what Frieza wanted, Vegeta attempted to distract her paying for her to go to the spa that morning while he was meeting with the man. He hoped to divert her suspicion just until he had more information, and after the meeting he would tell her what was happening.

The two businessmen later met in the hotel restaurant bother ordering breakfast to start. The waiter came with their orders and quickly placed them down so that he could escape the clear tension as Vegeta stared Frieza down and Frieza grinned at Vegeta. Frieza chuckled as Vegeta drank his mimosa. "Alcohol already, Vegeta? And so early, too."

Vegeta placed his glass down on the table before gesturing to Frieza's glass. "You're one to talk. Wine so early?"

"Well, I do love a good glass of wine," Frieza remarked, "but we aren't here to talk about our drink of choice. Let's get right down to business."

"Gladly," Vegeta returned. "You wanted this meeting, so start talking."

Frieza smirked. "As you wish," he crooned. "The reason I wanted to meet with you is because I believe I have an idea that would benefit both of our companies greatly. For the longest time, I've been wanting to delve deeper into a specific trade, yet I didn't have the resources. No one company would."

Vegeta scoffed and leaned back in his chair crossing his arms over his chest. "What trade would be that costly to invest in? Would something like that even be worth it?"

"It would," Frieza answered, smirking. Vegeta didn't know what it was about this man. His threat to Bulma aside, he seemed to have this chilling demeanor. The veteran businessman wondered how Frieza even managed to get this far in the business world with his deals and reputation. Who would work with him? "You see, I am a strong proponent of supporting armies in their endeavors, and I have always hoped to create a weapons division to supply the armies of the world with whatever they need. Of course, the research and science is pretty intensive, and the materials required to build any weapon is expensive. I am looking for a partner, Vegeta, and I want it to be you."

"No," Vegeta curtly stated making Frieza frown slightly. "What purpose is there for a weapons division in my company? We are a company focusing on home improvement and technological advancement."

"The purpose is simple, Vegeta," Frieza countered. "You see, I believe you'll agree with this statement. War is inevitable. The human race always has some form of conflict or power struggle somewhere in the world. Despite this bubble people tend to live in, war is occurring elsewhere, everywhere. Armies are fighting every day to keep the peace in their own countries, not to mention what our soldiers do behind the scenes that people do not know much about. It's a profitable industry, and one that we should get involved in right away. War is the future, Vegeta. A cynic like you could appreciate that."

Vegeta flinched internally. He used to be incredibly cynical, especially after Ella died, after he left home and became his own man. When he was involved with that gang, he never saw anything but fighting, crime, and lives lost. The world was kill or be killed, and he understood it well.

Raditz pulled him out of that world and showed him a different aspect to the world. Vegeta was still cynical, and he was aware of the problems that existed outside his friend's apartment. The pain of his past could never disappear. He had to figure out how to heal himself. It took years before he could process any of his emotions.

Meeting Bulma reaffirmed hope in his life. He still was aware of problems that existed outside his own world. His focus was on his father's company and saving jobs. He was aware of global conflicts, but there was little he could do about it. He was only just starting to figure out what he was fighting for in his own life let alone the world.

Never had the thought of creating a weapons division entered his mind. He wouldn't do it, because he knew what it would mean. "Anyone would be able to purchase any weapon either of us were to create. We could very well be contributing to the destruction of our own country, not to mention countless others that wouldn't be able to afford it. It's a fool's game, one that should not be played. I will not be your partner in this endeavor."

"Listen to reason for a moment, Vegeta," Frieza droned. "That is a valid concern, but you should know more than anyone that this world is survival of the fittest. If a country is so broken that it couldn't afford the proper equipment or if two parties were to buy our weapons and fight each other, it is up to them to figure out how to survive. If they can't, then it is just the way of nature."

Vegeta's eyes narrowed at the businessman sitting in front of him. Twice he claimed to know Vegeta's character, claiming him to be cynical and understanding of survival. It didn't sit well with him. None of this did. Leaving his meal behind, Vegeta abruptly stood up and turned away from Frieza. "You're insane," he stated firmly, "and I would never do business with a madman." He didn't cast Frieza another glance as he walked off, for he didn't want to see what was going on in Frieza's mind. Vegeta was certain that he would see Frieza's rage if he did. There was nothing left to be said, anyway.

* * *

The day went off without a hitch, and both Goten and Trunks were ready for practice. After school ended, Trunks had called his mother who had just met up with Vegeta for lunch. She seemed to have had a good day, a relaxing day. Vegeta had paid for her to go to the spa, and Trunks was thankful that she was taking time to rest and reset her batteries. It made him feel better about his concerns.

He started talking to Miss Gure about them, and the woman kindly explained that that was the reason she wanted to speak with him in the first place. Trunks had so much going on around him and he always tried to make the world better for the people around him without acknowledging that he needed to take time for himself. He needed to come to grips with his fears and accept them while also trying to focus on living in the moment instead of worrying about things that would not happen and had yet to come into action. Trunks assumed he got that horrible habit for his mother and wondered how she did it for so many years. He definitely had a new respect for his grandma and Goku. Of course, both Goku and Goten did the same thing, so Trunks figured that's why Goten was able to help him. Fear and anxiety was annoying. Trunks felt awful for his friend having an actual disorder. At least his was based on overthinking and not a hormonal imbalance. He still wished he could take on some of Goten's pain. He wished he could take on his mother's pain. And of course, he wished he could take on Mai's pain.

Perhaps that's what Miss Gure meant about overtaxing himself.

He felt better after talking to the woman, and they agreed that for now they'd make it a weekly thing unless he needed to come in to talk about anything urgently. Once he was with his friends again, he suggested to Goten and Mai that maybe they could talk to Miss Gure as well. She was really kind, objective, and knowledgeable and she didn't make him feel like crap. When he expressed the guilt he felt, she talked him down. Like his mother had said, Miss Gure told him that no one deserves to suffer the way that his mother or Mai did, and that his mother had done a good thing trying to make up for that life instead of becoming her father. He was reminded of a time when his grandmother had said she had been given a decision when she was pregnant: to become her mother or become the mother she wanted. His grandmother had hated her mother back then, and she did not want to have that relationship with her daughter, so she chose not to behave that way. His mother had expressed that if it wasn't for her mother, she'd be a completely different woman. Trunks believed it.

His friends weren't too keen on the idea, but they both said they'd think about it. For now, he and Goten were getting pumped up for practice, the girls and Gohan watching them from the stands. Trunks looked over and saw Mai smiling at him. He smiled back and waved only to hear the new coach clear his throat. Trunks turned around and saw Piccolo staring him down. To be honest, he was surprised when the tall man decided to stay on at the school permanently as a gym teacher and coach. He wondered why he did it. After all, the man seemed to be really serious about martial arts. Surely he had bigger dreams than working at their school. "I need to talk to you for a minute," he said, his voice stern leaving no room for question or refusal.

Trunks sighed. "Okay, what did I do now? I wasn't late."

"No," Piccolo agreed before he looked up at his group of friends in the stands. "The day you were, though, I overheard your conversation with your friend about the girl. Only reason I haven't gone to anyone yet is because I only heard bits and pieces and didn't get the full story. So, I will ask you. Is anything going on where her life is at risk? If so, I need to report this."

Trunks was visibly surprised, but his expression softened. "She was being hurt," Trunks explained. "But she's with my mom and me now. Our friend is a social worker and took care of things. There's a restraining order out against her stepfather, so everything is good now. Thanks, though…for worrying I mean. Is that why you got a job here?"

Piccolo simply stared at the boy before grunting. "Partially," Piccolo replied. "The other was that I was getting bored at the dojo where I worked. We weren't getting much activity. My father is still running things, but I needed a break." He didn't know why he was telling the boy this other than he asked.

"I see," Trunks stated, smiling at the teacher. "Anyway, like I said…thanks. It's nice to actually have teachers that care what's going on and aren't trying to make things worse."

Trunks ran over to Goten, Piccolo watching the two boys, his eyes widened. He didn't really understand the magnitude of Trunks's words considering he knew nothing about this place. To be honest, Trunks wasn't the first student to say that that day, and Piccolo wondered just what was going on with the teachers at this place. Maybe that was something to bring up during the first staff meeting he'd be a part of. Maybe. "Alright, maggots, listen up," he ordered crossing his arms as he looked done at his team. He held such an air of authority and demanded their undivided attention. "We got a lot of ground to cover today."

* * *

Bulma and Vegeta had spent some time together since she had returned from the spa. They mainly walked around the blocks to see the shops and just enjoy each other's company. Vegeta never released her hand the entire time they were together, even when she pulled him along to look at different shop displays. Strangely enough, he didn't care that they were being so public with their relationship even when some other businessmen walking around saw them and were whispering with their other colleagues. What he did in his downtime was his business alone, and he was content to just be in Bulma's presence as she excitedly chattered about the instrumental display in the music shop in front of them. He had already figured this out before, but it really didn't take much to get her excited.

They stopped at a small, Mexican restaurant for lunch, and there Vegeta told Bulma the real reason he sent her away. He apologized for misleading her, but he did not want to concern her. Frieza had threatened her to coax Vegeta into meeting with him, and he wanted Vegeta to go into the weapons trade. Bulma gasped when he stated that looking panicked. "Vegeta, you can't," she pleaded. "Don't…please don't. I wouldn't be able to-"

"Woman, calm down," Vegeta chided. "I said, 'no.' I could never involve myself in that trade either. It would just lead to more death in the world, and that's not something I could ever stomach. My father was in the army once, and I guarantee you he would have gone into the weapons trade if he wanted to. His company had the resources to do it all on his own, but he didn't, so I wouldn't either."

Bulma relaxed and laughed weakly. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I should have known you'd feel as strongly as I do. I just can't handle the concept of death well. Haven't been able to since my father passed. It was so abrupt, and even though so much time has passed it's just…"

"I know," Vegeta whispered. He then cleared his throat. "Nonetheless, I rejected his proposal, and the fact is he still threatened you. With that Zarbon guy working for him, I don't trust either of them. I wanted to warn you to be careful."

"Trust me, I already was," Bulma explained. "He's the one who is hurting Mai, so I was already on edge around him. From the moment I met him, I already felt this weird vibe and my distrust skyrocketed. When he told me his name, I knew I had to be careful. I was so glad you came up to us right after that."

Vegeta nodded and realized that that was why Bulma had looked so fearful and uncomfortable. Now that meeting with Frieza was out of the way, they could actually enjoy themselves, though he would be wary. Other than that, there was nothing left to worry about.

* * *

Later, Bulma spoke to Trunks again, this time having more time to chat with her son. She and Vegeta were in their room just watching some television. Her boyfriend had his arms wrapped around her as she spoke to her son. "So, talking with Miss Gure wasn't bad?"

" _No, it was actually really good,"_ Trunks admitted. _"I mean, I didn't think I really needed it. I ever told her I was only going to put yours and Uncle Tarble's minds at ease. But we talked about a lot of the stuff I was feeling. I told her some of the stuff going on, and she talked me through some of the lingering guilt I was still feeling and about some of the nightmares I've been having. She told me I need to take some time for myself, too, to relax and enjoy what's going on around me."_

"You've been having nightmares?" Bulma asked, concerned. "Why didn't you tell me?"

" _I didn't want you to worry,"_ Trunks explained, _"but this time, mom, I mean it. I'm okay. I'm not going to let them bother me. It's like you and grandma always say. We can't control what we dream, and dreams are just that. Everything is okay and nothing bad is going to happen."_

Bulma sighed, but she calmly said, "Well, if you're sure, but if the dreams still bother you, just call me. I'm here for you."

" _I know, mom,"_ Trunks responded, his voice light. _"Thanks. Anyway, grandma just made dinner and called us down. I love you. I'm really glad you're having a good time."_

"I love you, too, Trunks," Bulma told him, grinning. "Have a good night. Remember, I'm here if you need me."

" _Roger."_

The line cut dead after that, and Bulma placed her phone on the coffee table. "Good news?"

Bulma glanced over at Vegeta and nodded. "Yeah. He's talking to this new guidance counselor at the school. She's as sweet as pie. So much better than that other one who was out to make my son look like a delinquent."

Vegeta scoffed. "He is anything but that," he remarked. "Some people shouldn't be working with children. It's good that Trunks is talking to someone. I never had that luxury when I was his age. If I had spoken to a counselor, it would have gotten out, and if my father prided himself on anything back then it was image and only his and his company's image."

The woman frowned and moved to kiss Vegeta's cheek. He responded to her action, pulling her away so that he could kiss her lips and hold her close to him at the same time. She shivered against him, unconsciously pushing herself closer to him, causing him to smirk into the kiss as his tongue darted out and he explored her.

A knock on the door interrupted them.

Vegeta growled under his breath and then got up to answer the door only to find Nappa, Raditz, and Lime on the other side. "Yes?" he grunted irritably.

"Oh boy," Raditz laughed. "Hope we didn't interrupt anything."

Vegeta turned away to hide the blush forming on his cheeks from his friend's inquiry. "What is it?" he questioned again.

Nappa chuckled. "The three of us were about to grab dinner and wanted to know if you two would want to join."

"That sounds fun," Bulma agreed coming up from behind Vegeta. "What do you think?"

Vegeta shrugged. "I could eat. Let's go."

* * *

Ms. Snake was very irritable, not that that was anything new. Most of her students had gone to the new guidance counselor. She didn't care much for Miss Gure. Anyone who let the children get away with calling them by name was the reason these teenagers thought they were so deserving of everything. It allowed brats to get away with being troublemakers.

Case and point: Trunks Hamasaki.

Earlier in the day Paigen came to her to explain what Trunks had done and how he had gotten away with it. "I…they wouldn't let me see you, but I needed to tell someone," the girl nearly whimpered putting on a good show for the woman.

Ms. Snake huffed, but nodded and let the girl in. "Ms. Snake, you have to do something about it."

"About what?" the guidance counselor asked resisting the urge to role her eyes.

"Trunks…" Paigen breathed out. "He…he…"

"What did that troublemaker do now?"

"He went into the girl's locker room at gym class," Paigen explained, her eyes saddened and fearful. "Mai was still in there. I don't know what happened in there." She hesitated in her speech. "All I know is that I don't feel safe with him being able to get away with such a thing."

"What do you mean get away with it?" Ms. Snake questioned sounding completely appalled. "No one will let that deviant get away with it."

"Miss Gure did," Paigen countered. "He made up some story about why he went in there and left out that Mai was in there. I just know it. I heard him and his friend talking about it."

"I'm not privy to Miss Gure's files, but I will discuss it with her, and punishment will be enacted," the counselor assured. "Now, go back to class. Thank you for bringing the matter to my attention."

"Absolutely," Paigen replied. "It's my duty to make sure we're safe."

Ms. Snake nodded and watched the girl leave, her phone ringing in the next instant before she could speak to Gure. "Ms. Snake."

" _Yes, hello, Ms. Snake,"_ Zarbon's voice came over the line. _"This is Zarbon, Mai's stepfather. We met once before."_

"Ah, yes," the woman replied. "What can I do for you, Zarbon?"

" _I was hoping that you would be able to give me an address to one of my daughter's friends,"_ he explained. _"You see, it's been a while since I've heard from her, and I'm very worried. I already called the police, but I cannot give them a residence. I tried calling her, but she won't answer."_

Ms. Snake remembered hearing something about Mai among the secretaries and assumed it was because of absences. She really had no idea what was going on with the girl, the fact that child services was investigating Zarbon, or that there was a restraining order against him. It wasn't policy, but in cases of emergencies or students requiring the delivery of their work, she normally gave out the address. There was not much one could do with an address, anyway. "Whose address do you need?"

" _Trunks Hamasaki."_

The counselor froze feeling dread in her gut. After what Paigen had just told her, and now what Zarbon was saying, she had no doubt in her mind that the troublemaker was doing something uncouth with this girl. With the police investigating, it made it more real to her. What if something really was happening to that poor girl? Her father was clearly worried. Ms. Snake quickly logged into her system and pulled up Trunks's address. "Get a pen ready. I have it right here."

* * *

Oblivious to all of this, Mai and Trunks were simply relaxing back at his place. They were in his room lying in his bed, Trunks holding Mai from behind and tracing comforting circles on her stomach occasionally tickling her and making her laugh. Her head was tucked safely under his chin, a contented smile gracing his features. "You know…this is starting to make me lazy," he teased.

Mai only laughed. "You're the one who pulled me down, idiot."

Trunks chuckled. "You've got me there. So, I haven't asked this, but how are you feeling with everything?"

"Relieved," she answered abruptly. "I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm still terrified. I don't think a restraining order is enough to keep Zarbon at bay, and I'm a bit on edge, but I still feel so much safer here…with you. Uh, I mean, you and your mom," she hurriedly corrected herself.

Trunks hummed. "I know what will help the edginess. Goten mentioned earlier that he, his brother, and the girls were going to be at the mall. Let's have Gramma take us. We could play some laser tag. What do you think?"

"That sounds like a plan," Mai agreed.

Trunks rolled over, pulling away from the girl and stretched before jumping up off his bed. "Alright, let's get a move on then." Mai smiled at him and nodded, and then they went to ask Bunny to take them to the mall.

Trunks's grandmother dropped them off there telling them to call her when they were ready to be picked up. Mai stood with Trunks, her hand in his, as he waved to his grandmother as she pulled away from the curb. He glanced down at Mai, grinning. "Ready to kick butt?" he asked lightly, yet enthusiastically.

"Always," Mai replied, squeezing his hand as they entered. They found their friends already waiting for them outside the huge arcade.

"Hey, you made it!" Goten greeted.

"Hope you weren't waiting long," Trunks said moving to give his friend a high five. "What's going on?"

"Oh, same old," Videl laughed. She looked down to Mai's and Trunks's adjoined hands. "Although, I have to ask, what's going on with you two?"

Mai blushed slightly, but Trunks seemed undeterred by their friend's teasing. "We're doing good ourselves. Now, how are we doing this? Three teams of two, two teams of three, or guys versus girls?"

"Teams of two? I assume you mean couples," Videl shot back. "Sounds fun. I'm in, right Gohan?"

"I'm in. Goten, you and Valese?"

"Uh, I…u-uh," Goten stuttered blushing before he looked to his friend. "Is…is that okay with you?"

"Of course," Valese chimed.

Trunks and Mai smirked at each other before looking to their friends. "We're in."

Mai was about to voice her agreement when a voice she hadn't expected to hear made her blood run cold. "Well, well, well," Kuriza's voice sounded. Mai instantly turned to face him, horrified. Kuriza eyed a perplexed Trunks up and down and sneered. "So, this was the friend you were texting. Lavender, right. And you said the person was a girl. You wouldn't by any chance have been lying?"

"Kuriza," Mai murmured fearfully. "I…I was lying because I knew you'd run to Zarbon and tell him, and that's exactly what you did."

"Who is this guy?" Trunks asked Mai sounding concerned.

Mai frowned and cast Trunks a wary glance. "Zarbon's boss's son, Kuriza. I…mentioned him once before to you."

Trunks remembered. It was the Saturday after the dance, and she had told him that Zarbon's boss and son were over and she had felt uncomfortable. Instantly, Trunks was feeling protectiveness and slightly inserted himself between Mai and Kuriza in case the younger teenager was to do or say anything to hurt her. He would keep her safe.

It then dawned on him, even if Zarbon had hurt Mai worse that night instead of the dance, that Mai had been hurt the night of the dance as well, and Kuriza and his father had visited. His eyes narrowed at the teenager, angry. They knew Mai was being hurt, and they just let Zarbon continue to harm her. "Anyway," his sickening voice rang, "I just thought that since our fathers are out of town we could do something. Why don't you ditched these troublemakers and come out with me."

"No," Mai countered making Kuriza sneer. "Zarbon isn't my father, and he doesn't control me anymore, so get used to that. As for my friends, they aren't troublemakers, you are, so stay away from me." She looked to Trunks and took his hand. "Let's go." Then she pulled him away with little protest from the lavender-haired teen who simply looked over his shoulder and glared at the angered Kuriza. Their friends went with them, leaving the stranger behind. They decided to ignore what had just happened, Mai even more enthusiastic for laser tag than ever.

Trunks knew she'd want to talk about it later, but for now he agreed that it was best not to let Kuriza ruin their fun. No one brought it up, and the three groups suited up for their "war." They played a few rounds, running around, hiding, and strategizing together. Mai and Trunks seemed to take it more seriously than the others, catching their friends off-guard multiple times as they shot their beams. All in all, it was a good evening and, by the time they returned home, Mai wasn't bothered over seeing Kuriza that night.

* * *

Tarble was in the supermarket late having come home from work to find a note from Cabba saying he was out with his girlfriend for the night. He hadn't really gotten the chance to shop since moving in, and Cabba was in desperate need of groceries. He figured he could handle this week's heist himself, and so he drove himself to the only supermarket that would be open this late.

It was practically empty, which was perfect. Tarble hated when stores were crowded and his hearing aids picked up on a mess of different conversations and droning, distant sounds. That was the one thing he hated about amplifying noise, but it was something he learned to live with being partially deaf in both ears.

"Tarble?" he heard a soft voice call out in shock. It took him by surprise when he turned and saw Gure standing there with her own cart. She smiled brightly when he faced her. "I thought that was you. How are you?"

"I'm doing well," Tarble replied, grinning back. "It's good to see you again. I didn't know you lived around here."

Gure laughed lightly. "I could say the same thing about you," she pointed out.

"Yeah, well, like I said…I moved it with my friend, and he lives a couple blocks away," Tarble explained.

"Oh, who is he? Maybe I know him," Gure remarked. "This is kind of a small area."

"Cabba," Tarble told her. Recognition flashed in her eyes. "You know him?"

"Yes," Gure answered. "He's dating my best friend."

"Heh, small world," Tarble stated, a big smile on his face before something dawned on him. "Whoa…wait a minute…"

Gure's head tilted in concern. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Tarble assured her. "It's just that the other night he told me his girlfriend had a friend for me to meet. He had asked if I was ready for another blind date since the one another friend set me on flopped."

The woman's eyes lit up at that. "What did you say?"

Tarble's eyes softened. "I told him I was willing to meet her, but I didn't want to date someone else blindly."

"It was that bad, huh?" Gure laughed.

Tarble nodded, but he didn't look bothered. "Cabba said he would set up some kind of movie night at our place to kind of introduce me and the girl. I can't help but wonder if you were the one he meant."

"I think I am," Gure told him, blushing slightly. "Cabba came over to my friend's place one day and said he had a friend who was really nice and having a hard time. Like you with women, I've had very bad luck with men and he knows that, so I knew he put thought into it. He asked if I was interested, but I didn't have an answer right then. I told him I'd think about it."

"I'm sorry," Tarble offered regarding the woman's bad luck. He knew how difficult it was, especially after he had planned to spend his life with Maron, though now that he had time away from the blue-haired woman, he realized that he was better off without her. His mind returned to focusing on Gure. "So, uh, well," he stammered. "Now that you know he meant me…what do you think?"

Gure couldn't help but smile at Tarble. He looked a little nervous, rubbing the back of his neck, and it was just so endearing. He had nothing to be nervous about. "I think I'd like that," she spoke softly that Tarble almost hadn't heard. Her bright smile actually made him feel at ease. "We've already started to get to know each other, after all, so we aren't stranger anymore. What I know about you, I like."

"Really?" Tarble questioned before his nerves left him. "To be honest, I don't know much about you, but I really would like to get to know ore. You're one of the nicest people I've ever met."

"So, I guess that means we're going out," Gure chuckled. "I guess our friends didn't need to play matchmaker."

"Nah, apparently God did." Gure gaped at Tarble making him a little self-conscience. "D-Did I say something wrong? I didn't mean to offend you.

Gure offered him a smile. "You didn't," she assured him. "Just…the last guy I dated tried to force me to hide my faith and you just took me by surprise is all."

Tarble frowned at that. "No one should ever have to hide themselves," he stated. "And you don't have to worry about that with me. Most of my family are pretty religious, and even if we weren't, it wouldn't bother me."

"That means a lot," Gure chimed quietly. "Thank you, Tarble."

"Of course," the man replied, "though you really don't have to thank me for that. Now, we should both finish our shopping. But…I'll call you tomorrow."

"I look forward to it," Gure told him. "Have a good night, Tarble."

Tarble watched the woman walk away trying to contain his excitement. For days, he had been trying to figure out why he had felt the way he did after meeting with Gure. The realization dawned on him that he liked her, but he had no plans to pursue her. After what happened with Maron, he was afraid to take a chance and prayed that he would have clarity soon.

When he saw Gure this time, he felt no doubt, just unbridled joy. He knew he'd ask her out eventually, but when they figured out that their friends had already been trying to set them up, he went for it. It was hard to believe, but that meant that they would have met eventually, and most likely hit it off the same way. This was as good a sigh as any. He couldn't help but chuckle.

So this was why his sister had told him to pray on it. He'd have to fill her in when she returned.

* * *

Dinner was nice, surprisingly, given how Vegeta's day had started out. Bulma amd Lime shared with the three men stories from their appliance store days, some stories actually good. Then Bulma and Raditz took turns telling stories of Bulma and his brother as children and Raditz exposed secrets, finally being able to tell the story of why he gave Bulma the nickname "B-girl." It resulted in Bulma fuming, Nappa chortling, Lime shaking her head, and Vegeta smacking Raditz upside his. The long-haired male didn't dare bring it up again.

Eventually, they finished their meal and dessert, and Vegeta asked Bulma if she wanted to go for a walk with him. The two head to the beach hand in hand, and it didn't escape Nappa's notice that the woman was gazing at Vegeta with loving eyes.

Nappa had known Vegeta since he was a baby. He had been good friends with his father. He had been there for the older Vegeta after the younger took off from the city without a word. The guilt Vegeta's father felt over pushing his son away was crippling and had no doubt weakened the man's resolve when he was receiving his chemo treatments.

Before the elder Vegeta had passed, he made Nappa swear to look after Vegeta when he returned to the city to take over the company. At first, the current CEO had seemed to have this barrier around him and did not garner optimism from the board. Nappa had done his best to get close to the kid hoping he'd warm back up to him, but Vegeta always associated Nappa with his father and kept a distance between them.

Once Bulma came into the picture, Vegeta was still distant, but he was slowly becoming a different person. In the beginning, Nappa hadn't known what to think of this woman. Vegeta's past flings were no secret, but this recently hired woman with a son jumped at the opportunity to date her superior. Nappa had tried to figure out her angle for so long, especially after he heard the rumors circulating the office. Those did little to quell his worries, but the last meeting they had with the board had. Bulma had been solely focused on keeping Vegeta calm and centered. He had never seen the kid look at anyone the way he did her.

Because of that day, he kept his concerns to himself, for he knew there was no reason to be concerned. In fact, Nappa resolved to look after her as well. He was certain she wasn't going anywhere for a long time. She made Vegeta happy, after all.

He hoped his late friend could see that.


	27. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I don't DBZ or the characters

* * *

Thursday rolled around, and the conference was drawing to a close. Vegeta was thankful that neither Frieza nor Zarbon had sought him out. There was no doubt in Vegeta's mind that Frieza was sulking over their failed meeting. He could care less. Going into business was never something Vegeta wanted. He knew too much about companies who had been screwed over by the demon, not to mention the fact that he wanted to go into the weapons trade. That was certainly not happening. Vegeta already knew his company would lose popularity if he did that.

Since then, Vegeta had kept a close eye on Bulma. If she was worried, it didn't show. Frieza had not approached the woman which Vegeta felt was a good thing. He had done what he wanted and met with him, and they had agreed Vegeta wouldn't agree to anything if he didn't like what he heard.

By Thursday night, the majority of the presentations were over. Vegeta already scheduled meetings with a few new people for when they returned. Now everyone was simply enjoying themselves at a catered dinner. There was music and dancing, and Vegeta once again got to wow Bulma with his moves. It was different this time, the intensity between them. They had gotten closer, if that were possible, since they last time they went out dating. Bulma had allowed herself to let her guard down, and Vegeta could see it. Every time she looked at him, he felt like his soul was on fire, so much so that he excused them from the dinner early bidding Raditz and Nappa goodbye.

They retreated to their room for the night, Bulma going to take a shower. While she was inside, Vegeta made a call to room service. It was the first time in a while that the romantic in him actually wanted to come out which proved to Vegeta that Bulma had been chipping away at the barrier surrounding his heart. This woman deserved a night of romance.

Bulma came out of the bathroom in a more casual outfit consisting of t-shirt and sweat pants. She finished towel drying her hair before rounding the corner and freezing in place at the sight. In the room, there were candles in various places, dimly lighting the room, and in the center of the room, there was a cart with a spread of roses, wine, and chocolate covered strawberries. There was even a stereo playing very soft, beautiful music. Bulma was awed by the sight, her mouth opening slightly.

She jumped in surprise as she felt arms slide around her, her heart racing from being momentarily frightened. Vegeta knew she had a thing with being grabbed from behind, so he squeezed her body to his for reassurance. "Did you enjoy your bath?" he voice teased her, his lips nipping at her ear.

Bulma shivered and laughed lightly, but she ignored his question. "A stereo, huh?" her voice breathed out. "Didn't think they still made those."

Vegeta's chest rumbled as he chuckled. "You impudent, little…"

"Now, now," Bulma chided lightly. "Don't resort to name calling."

"Noted," her boyfriend murmured. "Now, come with me."

"Where?" Bulma questioned, closing her eyes and leaning into him.

"To the terrace," Vegeta whispered against her ear again. "Come on."

Bulma nearly whimpered when Vegeta pulled away from her to push the cart outside leaving her in a daze. He turned to see if she was following but saw her hazy eyes questioning him. Chuckling, he said, "Come now." That seemed to snap Bulma out of her trance before she followed him out to the balcony.

It was beautiful outside at night. On this island, there were hardly any lights, so it was easy to see the stars, and the mood was full and big as well. It was a gorgeous sight, and Bulma found herself at the edge of the balcony simply reveling in the orbs white light. Vegeta smirked as he watched her taking comfort that these little things brought her so much joy. He poured them both a glass of wine using the champagne flutes before he joined her and casually handed her the glass. Bulma smiled at him as she took it. "Thank you."

"Hn," Vegeta acknowledged, eying her up and down before he looked out to the water. "It's a nice night."

"It really is," Bulma agreed with a content sigh. "It's a shame we have to leave tomorrow, but I must admit that I miss my kids."

"Your kids?" Vegeta questioned, a grin forming.

"You know, Trunks and Mai," Bulma elaborated. "I'm starting to see that girl as my own. It was only a matter of time, anyway, seeing as Trunks cares so much about her and I've been spending more time with her."

"She's been through a lot, but she's a good kid," Vegeta responded. "At least everything worked out with that."

"You're right," Bulma remarked. "But maybe I should have gotten Juu involved much sooner."

"Either way," Vegeta soothed her, rubbing her bare arm, "she is safe now, and that is all that matters. You needed her cooperation."

"True," Bulma surrendered before finishing up her glass. "That is some good wine."

Vegeta smirked, knowing he had picked a good one, a nice and expensive one, but Bulma didn't need to know that. "Another glass, then?"

Bulma giggled at his chivalrous tone. "Certainly."

The two moved to a little table that was outside and sat down, Vegeta pouring her and himself another glass before Bulma decided to taste the chocolate covered strawberry. Her eyes closed in pure bliss, her humming or really more like moaning slightly, as she tasted the morsel. "Oh my God, what are you doing to me?" she teased him grinning at his relaxed smirk. "This is amazing."

Vegeta chuckled, his shoulders shaking slightly. "You said you liked strawberries and chocolate, so I assumed this was acceptable."

"Best food on the planet," Bulma corrected. "And it is. Thank you so much."

"It was nothing," Vegeta assured her grabbing one himself and slowly biting into it while keeping his eyes glued to Bulma's. Her breath caught in her throat as Vegeta smirked cockily at her while allowing the red juices to flow down his chin before biting all the way through the fruit. "You all right? You're looking a little flushed."

There was a hint of amusement in his voice, and Bulma realized that he could see right through her. She pouted slightly. "I-I'm fine," she stammered, mentally cursing that she couldn't hold herself together in front of him.

Bulma's eyes narrowed slightly. "You're teasing me…"

Vegeta's smirk widened showing his teeth. "Really?" he smoothly asked. "I don't have the faintest idea what you're talking about."

In response, Bulma breathed out a laugh and smiled as she shook her head. "Sure," she remarked, sipping her wine as she looked out towards the beach. She grew pensive as the starlight reflected in her eyes. "It's such a shame."

"Hm?" Vegeta questioned, growing confused.

The woman chuckled and waved him off. "It's just been nice here. We'll have to return to the daily grind on Monday."

Vegeta nodded in understanding. "We still have the weekend. We can do something with the kids."

"Mm, sounds wonderful," Bulma agreed finishing off the rest of her wine. Vegeta was already at the ready with more entertaining Bulma so. "What? Are you trying to get me drunk?"

Her boyfriend's answer was a raised glass as an affirmative, and a couple of glasses later, the two of them were giddily laughing and fooling around on the terrace. Bulma was avoiding Vegeta at every turn as he chased her. She caught herself on the stone wall, though she stumbled and the champagne flute landed on the sidewalk below them. Blushing, she looked down, Vegeta joining her grinning. "Clumsy," he teased.

"Oops," Bulma remarked before laughing. "I think that means I'm cut off." Caught off guard, Vegeta wrapped her in his arms making her squeal. "Vegeta!"

He snickered at her sad attempt to smack his chest which missed by a hair. "Woman, you are intoxicated."

"You kept filling my glass!" Bulma protested, her voice light and entertained. "Now put me down."

"No," Vegeta rejected. "I'm not letting you go. I will offer an alternative solution."

"Does it end with my feet on the ground?"

"It does."

"Then I'm game."

Instantly, she was back on the ground, but still entrapped in Vegeta's arms. His flashed her a lopsided grin causing the woman's brow to raise. "Dance with me."

Bulma was taken aback by the intensity of Vegeta's voice. Though it sounded like a demand, he was pleading with her. "There's no music."

"So?"

She didn't need to be told twice as she allowed her arms to snake around his neck running her fingers at the base of his hairline. The man hissed softly in her ear pulling her hips closer to him as they swayed to the nonexistent music under the moonlight. Everything about the moment was so peaceful, so perfect. Bulma had honestly been surprised by how relaxed she felt. Though they hadn't known each other too long, Bulma felt like she had known Vegeta for a lifetime. She felt safe with him and knew she could trust him. She honestly couldn't imagine her life without him.

Likewise, Vegeta couldn't imagine his life without her now. She had become a constant in his daily life. He saw her every day at work and after, and on the days where they didn't have work, Vegeta found himself finding a way to spend time with the woman. It had been nice to feel like part of a family again, even if sometimes he felt like an outsider. Ever since the truth came out about Bulma's father, she had been less rigid and more open with him. He did remember that moment in the kitchen where she panicked and pulled away, though he could admit teasing her in such a matter right after that whole ordeal with Trunks was ill-planned. He couldn't help it. He was attracted to her, and he wanted her to know it.

He hardly registered his own movement as his hands slid around her body to cup her rear. Mentally cursing at his boldness, he moved to retract his hands, but this time Bulma stopped him, holding his wrists to prevent his retreat. She smiled up at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Vegeta couldn't contain himself, now, not when her lips were quirked in that coy smile. Something in his soul wanted to consume her, bare everything to her.

His lips crashed onto hers, the two of them heatedly caressing each other's bodies. Both were aware of what was going on, though between their alcohol-induced haze and the intensity of their feelings, they had no plans of stopping it. Bulma was actually strangely thankful Vegeta had kept filling her glass. She really had fallen for him, and it wasn't fair to the man that she was so reserved. All of doubts meant nothing to her, not even when Vegeta sat down on the bed in front of his, his hands slowly and painfully running over her legs to hike up her dress. His eyes met hers glossed over with desire awaiting something, anything to tell him whether to stop or continue. Bulma ran her hands through his hair taking in a shaky breath before she nodded.

Vegeta did not need to be told twice as he removed the thin fabric exposing her body to him.

* * *

Trunks and Mai were walking home from the mall after their incredibly silly and fun laser tag battle. The two of them were laughing as they recounted the incidents they found the most hilarious while reveling in their victory. "We make a pretty good team, you know?" Trunks stated.

Mai only smiled when he said this. She couldn't deny his claim.

It was late by the time they finished their war, and Trunks had forgotten to call his grandmother. He knew he could have had her pick them up, but he texted the woman letting her know that he and Mai wanted to walk home and enjoy the cool, fall evening. Their trek home was quiet, Trunks enjoying Mai's company. He loved how much time he got to spend with her, though he wished she had had a more pleasant home life. He would have gladly traded that time if it meant she had a loving parent to go home to. Not wanting to linger on the source of Mai's pain, Trunk casually slipped his hand out of his pocket wrapping it gently around Mai's. The dark-haired teen was startled out of her own reverie and eyed their adjoined appendages.

Her conflicted orbs met Trunks's certain ones, though his softened when they saw through her anxiety. "What's wrong?"

"I…" she spoke softly, nervously, before sighing. "Trunks…I, I know I asked this once before, but what are we?"

The boy just smiled. "Like I said, I am whatever you need me to be."

His grin almost lifted her spirits, but she needed to broach something, and that was why she felt so nervous. "Well, it's just that…you…haven't kissed me since our fight," she explained, her cheeks stained red as she awkwardly looked away. Trunks stopped walking as she did. "I thought that maybe I pushed you too far and that you were no longer interested is us being…us."

He didn't look angry or bothered. In fact, he appeared to be very understanding. His hand found its way to her hair, patting her head gently. "That's a silly though," he teased lightly. Mai pouted making Trunks chuckle. "It's very far off the mark, Mai."

"Then tell me," Mai murmured. "What did I do?"

"Nothing," Trunks assured her. "It's just…well, right after that, you went through so many changes. You moved in with us. You got away from Zarbon. It's a big adjustment. I just didn't want to push you over the edge. I mean, we live together now, so I figured we had all the time in the world. Giving you a week or so to settle in didn't seem like a bad idea."

The two began to walk again, continuing home. Mai had not been expecting that answer from Trunks and was actually very relieved that that was all it was. Once again, he proved how selfless he was. How did she ever get so lucky? "You know," she whispered, and Trunks leaned in to hear what she had to say, "if you ever did ask me out on a date, I'd say 'yes.'"

The way Trunks's eyes lit up made butterflies flutter in Mai's stomach. She honestly didn't believe that feeling really existed, but here she was feeling it. With that, Trunks wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close to keep her warm from the cold. "I'll keep that in mind," he told her before kissing her on the cheek.

* * *

Light filtered into the room as the sun rose making Vegeta's eyes twitch. He was always the early riser, but he felt incredibly exhausted, though he also felt very relaxed and light. His eyes shot open as he sat up remembering the events of the previous night. The sheet fell from his bare chest as he turned to view Bulma wrapped up in nothing but a sheet. Her hair was splayed around her, her mouth opened as she softly snored.

Waking up to this sight of her was nothing short of breathtaking.

He didn't realize that his shifting the bed had caused the blue-haired woman to stir until he heard a soft yawn and watched her push herself up holding the sheet to her body. Her sleepy eyes found his as she smiled. "Good morning," she murmured. "I take it you just woke up?"

Vegeta answered with a nod before he looked to the bloodstained sheet, resulting from some irritation she felt, and frowned. He had been stunned, the night before, to find that he had been Bulma's first. With how old she was and the fact that she had a son, it never occurred to him that she could still be a virgin. It made sense. She did not conceive Trunks in the ordinary ways. Still, it had come as a surprise to him and he wasn't sure that he liked hurting her. In the moment, she had assured him that she was fine. Now that the moment was over, he wondered if she'd be made that he had stolen her virginity.

"What's with the intense look, Mr. Grumpy?" Bulma chided lightly, her hand tracing down chest and abdomen. His muscles twitched under her fingertips, his hand grabbing hers to stop their ministrations. Bulma frowned at him. "What's wrong?"

"I was your first," he stated, though Bulma clearly knew that already.

The woman before him blushed and looked away moving a strand of hair behind her ear. "Look, it's no secret that I've had trust issues when it came to men," she started to say. "And Trunks…well, that was through artificial insemination, so…"

"You've dated before," Vegeta reminded her. "I just assumed."

Bulma's eyes met his and she offered him a sad smile. "Goku and I didn't date long, nor did we get very far. He knew my fears and about my desire to wait until marriage so no kid I'd have would ever have to be subjected to what I went through," she iterated. "I'm glad we never did because it would have completely wrecked our friendship. We almost lost it as it was."

Vegeta nodded in understanding. "With Yamcha…it just never felt right. I tried. I really did try to become more open with him, but he could never handle my emotions. I gave him the choice when I told him I wanted a kid, and he chose to end it so there was no reason to sleep with him. We were in two different places. When Trunks was born, I focused on raising him. I didn't date much, and when I did usually it wasn't a good fit for me or my son, so I wasn't going to mess around. I wanted to wait until I found someone special."

When she realized that Vegeta wasn't going to say anything as he just stared at her, Bulma frowned. "But I'm sorry I didn't warn you or that I'm not more experienced…"

"That doesn't matter," Vegeta told her, gently cupping her face as his eyes bore into hers. "Bulma, I am honored to be your first. I know it takes a lot of trust to openly bare yourself out to another person, and I swear to you that I will not squander that trust. You were amazing."

"I was?" Bulma questioned before she grinned. "Well, not that I have anything to compare it to, but you were pretty damn good yourself."

And with that, the emotional discussion was ended, and Vegeta's arrogance returned one-hundred fold. "I know," he said, smirking.

Bulma laughed and rolled her eyes. "You're such an ass, you know that." In that moment, Vegeta was on top of her again, his hands moving down her body until reached its goal.

Vegeta squeezed her rear earning a yelp. "You have such a nice one, yourself."

She hit his shoulder before she pushed him away. "Now, now, none of that," she chided. "We have to get ready for today. We have some closing speeches to get to, and I need a shower."

Reluctantly, Vegeta let her go and watched her walk away from him. She paused in the doorway though and sent him the sexiest smile he'd ever seen. "You're welcome to join me, you know."

She could have sworn that that was the fastest she'd ever seen Vegeta move.

* * *

Mai and Trunks were with their friends in the hallway before class just hanging out and talking about nothing. The girl remembered laughing quite a bit. Trunks's arm was wrapped around her waist loosely. At first, it made her nervous because of all the attention it garnered. "Well, we need to get going," Gohan stated taking Videl's hand. "See you guys at lunch."

"Bye, Gohan," Goten waved his brother off. "Later."

Gohan smiled before he and Videl left the group leaving four. "I need to head to class too to set up for my presentation," Valese stated, sighing.

"You're going to be great," Goten assured her lightly gripping her shoulders and rubbing them. Valese flashed him a sheepish yet thankful smile before she moved to kiss him on the cheek.

"Thank you," she told him before looking at the whole group. "Alright, wish me luck."

"Good luck!" her three friends obliged before she ran off.

"I probably need to head to the guidance office," Trunks told the others. "Miss Gure and I have an appointment today."

"How is that going?" Goten asked. "I mean, I know it just started this week and all, but is it helping?"

"Actually, yeah," Trunks admitted. "To be honest, I didn't think I was stressed. Apparently it's been building up for a while and I just didn't recognize it."

Mai was surprised that Trunks was talking so casually about all this when she was standing right there. She had been so worried that he'd never open up to her, but in his own way he was. Part of her wondered if he had ever truly stopped confiding in her or if he just wasn't saying anything because he didn't know it was bothering him. Maybe it had all just been in her mind. "I actually think you guys would benefit from talking to her," Trunks stated, bringing Mai's attention back to the conversation. "She already knows everything going on with the both of you and she keeps everything confidential."

"I already go to a therapist," Goten deadpanned. "I don't see what going to one at school will do."

"She's not a therapist," Trunks countered. "Close, but she's not. She's really laidback and nice, and basically it would just be another place to talk instead of cutting class and going to the gym, Ten."

Goten grimaced slightly understanding that Trunks's dig was his concern for him. The teenager knew he had worried his friend by going for the self-abuse as his solution. "I'll think about it," Goten agreed, "but everything has been fine. Ever since Paigen has been leaving us alone, I've felt better. Things have never been better between me and Valese."

"That's really great, Goten," Mai interjected. "I'm really sorry that she dragged you into my problems. That wasn't fair."

"Hey, I was already a part of what was going on with you," Goten offered her, smiling sincerely. "There's nothing you need to apologize for. You aren't at fault for any of this."

"He's right," Trunks concurred. "You were as much the victim as we were. What she threatened to do would have screwed with your life too. Anyway, we need to head out. Goten, could you walk Mai to class for me."

"Sure," Goten chimed. "You get to 'therapy.'"

Trunks sighed and then laughed. "It's not therapy. Thanks, Ten."

The lavender-haired teen left them both alone in the halls. Goten looked down at Mai and grinned. "Shall we?"

Mai smiled back and nodded. "We shall. Thank you."

"No problem," Goten replied. "Sometimes we need to take on this place together, right?"

"Right," Mai agreed while mentally thanking God that she had all of these friends now. She was starting to get used to that fact.

* * *

After school, Mai was walking home. Trunks had decided to go into work that day to get everything ready for when Vegeta would be back. Mai didn't have anything to do at the office, so they both agreed on meeting at the apartment later. Besides, Mai needed the alone time to reflect, and it was the perfect time since Trunks's grandmother was at work.

All of a sudden, what Trunks told her at lunch came back to her, and she found it strange that she was thinking of it now at all times. It seemed like such a random event. Trunks had met up with them at lunch and told them that he had had a good session with Miss Gure. Of course, he noted that when he entered the guidance office, Ms. Snake was giving him such a dirty look and that he had just felt off about it. He hadn't brought it up to Miss Gure because it really didn't matter. Ms. Snake didn't really like any of them, so it was normal.

What wasn't normal was that Mai's thoughts lingered on it. She shook it off, deciding to forget about it. She was already safely back inside the apartment, locking the door out of habit. The apartment was quiet, just what she needed, but there was something eerie about it. Mai wondered if it was because she and Trunks had played that horrible horror game at the beginning of the week. They hadn't finished it, but Mai certainly dreamed up a terrifying ending. That night, Trunks had a visitor.

To drown out the deafening silence, Mai turned on the television. She put it on the T.V. show, "Friends." She had never really gotten a chance to watch the show, but Trunks kept showing her episodes since she had been there. Apparently his mother and grandmother loved the show, though he hadn't been allowed to watch it until he was a teenager. It was actually really funny, and it reminded her of her own wonderful group of friends.

A couple hours passed, and Trunks had yet to come home. Mai knew he'd be back soon. His grandmother would then come around dinner time and make sure they were fed before staying the night. A knock on the door stole Mai's attention. She smiled and shook her head. She had assumed Trunks had his key, but apparently he had forgotten it.

"You know, Trunks," Mai stated loud enough for her friend to hear. "I think you're more forgetful than I am. Maybe I should bring your key next…"

Mai froze when she opened the door, her eyes widened in fear. It was not Trunks who was standing before her, but Zarbon, and he looked way too amused for her liking. "Hello, Mai."

"What are you doing here?" she questioned, her voice cracking. "You're not supposed to be here. I have a restraining order."

"Yes," Zarbon spat darkly. "I'm well aware about all the documentation you have that says I shouldn't be here. You really were foolish, Mai. Did you honestly think I'd allow you to get away with slandering and humiliating me?"

Mai didn't answer. No answer would be good. She just needed to keep him talking until Trunks got back. He'd have to be back soon, right? What time was it?

Well, she couldn't very well let Zarbon stay around her. It was bad news. He was like a cobra waiting to strike. She closed the door slightly, putting her bodyweight into it so that Zarbon couldn't push it back so easily. She attempted to reach for her phone in her pocket. Zarbon must have seen her slight shift, for he pushed in with all of his force and knocked her back.

Zarbon slammed the door shut behind him, going after Mai instantly. Mai gasped and made the attempt to avoid him and run, but he caught up with her and slammed her back against a wall making her lose her breath. "I gave everything to you!" he screamed in her face. "A house, food…and this is how you repay me? You're just as heartless as your mother was!"

Mai cringed when he gripped and twisted her wrist painfully. "Mom wasn't heartless," she argued, her voice breaking with the pain. "She was sick. There was nothing they could do. She tried everything. She loved us, and she wanted us not to remember her as sick and being stuck in that hospital bed. She wanted us to remember her free. She made the best of it. She would hate you for doing this."

She probably shouldn't have said that, for Zarbon threw her down to the ground and slammed into her. He screamed in her face, "Don't tell me what she would have done or what you think she was thinking! You don't know anything! You were just a brat when she passed away."

"Let me go!" Mai demanded, struggling underneath him. "You're only going to make things worse for yourself!"

Zarbon flashed her a sickening grin. "Oh, no, Mai. I'm about to make things a hell of a lot worse for you and for anyone who's helped you. You're all at my mercy."

Mai didn't get a chance to ask what he meant when she felt her skull being slammed into the ground.

* * *

Trunks was on his way home feeling a strange sense of dread. He wondered why that was. He had felt off ever since he had seen Ms. Snake. The way her eyes bore into him chilled him. He always knew she was cold-blooded, but this was ridiculous.

The feeling didn't go away while he was at work. He felt slow and sluggish. It was like he could feel every moment as it passed, and so he was hyperaware of the time. It felt like time was standing still. When four o'clock came around, he was ready to leave. Mai was waiting for him at home, and soon his grandmother would be with them, around five actually. He and his grandmother agreed that that night was going to be taco night. He loved those, and found that Mai did too. A smile graced his features at the thought.

He had gone down to records to submit his timecard for the week like Vegeta normally did. Broly was there and recognized Trunks instantly. The two of them chatted for a bit, Trunks telling Broly his mother would be back to work on Monday. Broly smiled at the kid and waved him off. He hadn't met Trunks before, but just from his attitude he could tell the boy was Bulma's. He had that natural sunny disposition that anyone would be drawn to. It wasn't normal procedure to immediately enter in his timecard electronically. Usually, he did that on Monday, but he decided to make an exception that day. If anything, it would be less work he had for Monday.

Trunks made it back to his apartment building, and everything just seemed quiet. He assumed it was just an off day. Miss Gure had said he'd have those every so often. It was probably nothing.

Or at least he thought that until he saw his apartment door open.

Instantly, Trunks was on alert, looking around. "Mai?" he called out in question, but he received no answer and panicked. He went inside and found the lights off and the television on. Sighing in relief, he realized Mai must be sleeping, but it still didn't explain why the door had been left open. He couldn't let his guard down yet.

He went into the living room, and his face fell when he found Mai on the floor and not on the couch. Trunks immediately turned on a light and gasped in horror when he saw Mai passed out on the ground bleeding and bruised. He tried to swallow the lump that formed in his throat, but he couldn't and he couldn't breathe. He knelt down beside her, gently running his hand through her hair as he tried to shake her awake. "Mai," he choked out hoarsely. "Mai…Mai please wake up."

Mai stirred a bit, choking on her pained breath, her eyes peeking open. "Trunks?" she weakly called.

"Mai…" he whispered. He knew the answer, but he needed confirmation. "Who…? Who did this to you?"

"Z-Zarbon," she admitted, her voice cracking. "H-He came here. I tried to call…call the police, but he did this before I could. Trunks, it hurts so bad. I can't…I can't reach my phone."

"Rest," Trunks ordered. "I'll call it in. Mai, I'm so sorry I wasn't here…"

Mai tried to shake her head, but cried out in agony. "Y-You c-couldn't have known…"

"Don't worry," he assured her. "We'll make this right."

Trunks took out his phone, staying by Mai's side and rubbing her back comfortingly and gently trying to avoid her bleeding wounds. _"9-1-1. What's your emergency?"_

"We need an ambulance here now," Trunks stated looking over to Mai. "My friend was attacked."

* * *

It was finally the last meeting between all the businessmen under the guise of a party. Bulma and Vegeta were locked in casual conversation with one of the men who would be meeting with Vegeta the following week. Vegeta and the other man were discussing a future contract already while the man's wife and Bulma engaged in light discussion about their sons.

Speaking of which, Bulma's phone began to ring a familiar tune. "Wow, his ears must have been burning," Bulma joked. "I need to take this."

"Go right ahead, dear," the woman replied.

Bulma nodded, smiling, and answered her phone. "Hey, sweetie. How was your day?"

The frantic voice of her son flooded her system. _"M-Mom…"_ He sounded like he was about to cry but was trying to hold it together. _"Y-You need to get back. Zarbon found our place and attacked Mai. Grandma and Uncle Tarble are on their way. W-We're at the hospital."_

Bulma felt her stomach drop and immediately searched the crowd for Zarbon. She found Frieza in the crowd. No one could miss that colored hair. Zarbon wasn't anywhere near him. "Oh my God," she breathed out. "Don't worry, Trunks. We'll get out tonight."

Vegeta overheard the anxiety in Bulma's voice and excused himself to pull her aside. "Woman, what's wrong?"

"Zarbon…" she spoke. "He must have left early. He went to our apartment and attacked Mai. They're all at the hospital right now. Vegeta…I, we…"

"I'll take care of it," Vegeta told her. "Go back to the room and pack our things. I need to find Raditz and Nappa. They can handle it from here. I'll get us on the next flight."

"Vegeta…" Bulma whimpered slightly. She was in shock, and he honestly was too, but he knew how to handle it. Gently, he grabbed her.

"You need to focus," he told her. "There's nothing we can do for them until we get there, so we need to focus on getting there, okay? I'll meet you back at the room."

"Okay," Bulma agreed, getting ahold of herself as she sniffled. She was about to say something else, but stopped herself and raced for their room.

Vegeta quickly found Nappa and told him to fill Raditz in. Nappa hadn't known about what had been going on in Vegeta's life, but it just kept pouring out of him as he hurriedly explained the situation. The bald man was dumbfounded, but he nodded and told Vegeta he would handle the rest of negotiations with Raditz. After Vegeta left, Nappa found Frieza in the crowd. He had never met the man before, but heard of his bad reputation. He shook his head. He had already assumed anyone working for Frieza would have to be as low as they come, but now this toad had gone and hurt an innocent child.

He wondered if Frieza knew about that.

* * *

A/N: So, I debated on posting this chapter right away or not. I have about the next six planned out, and since so much is about to happen, I wondered if I should wait. I'm not going to wait to post, and I'm going to try to go on a writing spree since it's all planned out. It's no surprise that Zarbon has finally made his move, but how else will he strike? He's already given his threat to Mai. Thoughts, anyone? I'm pretty sure I won't have people happy with me for a little while…


	28. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

As soon as Bulma and Vegeta got back into town, they headed straight to the hospital. Bulma was so frantic, and Vegeta actually felt himself feeling panicked as well, so he had the airport attendants call them a cab telling them it was an emergency. They both headed there, and Vegeta was actually thankful capsules existed because he wouldn't have known what to do with their luggage otherwise. They couldn't afford to make any unnecessary stops.

They didn't even need to ask where Mai's room was. The second they made it to the emergency room, they found Trunks sitting in a chair, shoulders hunched, looking lost. Bulma immediately went over to her boy, embracing him and taking him by surprise. "Oh, Trunks," she said before kissing his forehead. "Are you okay? I'm sorry we couldn't get here sooner."

"No, it's okay," Trunks replied, though the fear in his eyes said it all. "Gramma is here. She went to get food. Uncle Tarble is stuck in traffic."

"Have you gotten to speak to her?" Vegeta asked, taking a seat beside the boy.

Trunks slowly shook his head. "Not since she told me back at the apartment that Zarbon did this," he explained. "She passed out before the ambulance got there, and she hasn't woken up again since. The doctor won't even let me see her." Tears started to form in his eyes, but he quickly wiped them away. "Mom…they said she's in critical condition…"

Bulma was shocked, but she wrapped her arms around her son and rocked him. "It'll be okay," she assured him. "She has us. She's not alone anymore."

That managed to make Trunks smile, and he nodded. "Yeah, I know. Thanks, mom."

Bulma grinned and was about to say something else when a couple of officers walked up to them. She was instantly on her feet. "What can we help you with?"

The two officers jolted, not expecting the woman to be so friendly. Trunks was staring at the two of them with concern in his eyes. "D-Did you catch him?" he asked.

One of the officers shook his head. "I'm afraid we're going to have to bring you down to the station for questioning," he told the teenager. "Something about your statement didn't add up, and we received another call saying that you were the last person to see Mai before she was attacked."

"What?" Trunks questioned. "I was at the office and came home to find Mai like that. I didn't see her before she was attacked."

Vegeta eyed the officer. He looked nervous until Trunks said that. Then he just glared at the boy, and Vegeta didn't like it. He stood up and blocked Trunks from their view. "What is this about?" he asked as he crossed his arms.

The other officer grimaced at the authoritative tone this man possessed. "We received a call to be dispatched when this boy called for an ambulance. He gave us the same story, that he was at the company, Ouji Corp., and then came home to find his friend beaten to a bloody pulp. Unfortunately, we called to speak to the girl's stepfather, and he had a different story."

"Of course he did," Bulma argued. "Because he's trying to get out of it. Look, he wasn't even supposed to have our address let alone be anywhere near her."

"Ma'am, please relax," the officer replied. "You're right. And he was genuinely shocked to hear that anything happened to his stepdaughter. He's been following the rules to a 'T' and he told us the truth, that Mai has been seeing your son in secret and started coming home with bruises."

"That's a lie," Trunks said calmly, though the anger in his eyes spoke volumes. He looked to the two officers. "It's the other way around. Have you not looked into the report that accompanied the restraining order?"

But the officer ignored him and his attention was on Bulma. "I know it's difficult, ma'am, to find out that your son has been acting aggressively towards this girl, but your actions have hurt more than they've helped."

"My son did not do this," Bulma protested. "I have the number to the social worker working on Mai's case. She's been staying with us. Her stepfather has been abusing her for years. My son only met her recently."

"Regardless, ma'am," the officer interjected, "we need to follow procedure. We need to take your son in for questioning. Please, understand that."

"I'm not going anywhere," Trunks retorted. "Not until I know that Mai is okay."

"Son, you can't be anywhere near her until this gets sorted out," the officer told him. "You need to come willingly, or I'll have to place you under arrest."

Trunks couldn't believe what he was hearing. He looked up to his mother, this time fearful for himself as well as Mai. He looked over into the girl's room, terrified. "But…I can't leave her."

"I'll go with you," Vegeta assured Trunks, "and your mother will stay here to keep us updated on Mai's condition. It's best to just go with them and answer their questions."

"But what if he comes back?" Trunks questioned.

At this, the officer who had remained silent finally spoke. "Okay, kid, cut the crap." The other officer tried to interject and placate him. "No, I'm getting sick of this. We need to be brutally honest with this kid and his parents." He glared over to the woman. "We have evidence that showed up that stack against your son, and his statement proved false, too."

"W-What in God's name are you-"

"Ma'am, I get that this is all very hard on you," the officer said calming down only slightly. "No mother ever wants to believe their son is a monster, but it is what it is." He glared over at a stunned Trunks and went to grab him. "So enough is enough. This feigned concern is pathetic. You hurt her and now you feel guilty and want to make sure she's okay. You're coming with us."

Vegeta inserted himself between the officer and Trunks making the former give up his hold. "Listen here," he said, his voice becoming dark but gained the attention of both officers. "You have absolutely no right to lay a hand on this boy. We already agreed he was going to come in for questioning, and that's it. He's cooperating. You haven't placed him under arrest. You are to treat him with respect. He is a minor, and you are not to exercise power like that over him, or we'll sue you and your department for police brutality. Follow the lead of your partner. As for Trunks, he didn't do this. We know he didn't, but since you need to follow procedure, we'll cooperate. If you lay another hand on him, his lawyer will have no problem bringing that up that you assaulted him in front of his mother and mother's boyfriend, understand?"

The officer growled, but he nodded, walking away. Vegeta looked to the other officer. "I know not all of you will behave that way, but you need to tell us why that just happened."

"I'm afraid I can't until we're down at the station," the other man said, "but I'll give you this much. That lawyer you mentioned…you might want to make a call."

Vegeta looked over to Bulma and could see the concern shining in her eyes. He sighed and went over to her. "It's going to be okay. I won't let anything happen to him. I promise."

"I know," Bulma replied before she walked over to Trunks and hugged him. "I'll be there in spirit. I'll keep you and Vegeta posted on when she wakes up, okay?"

"I love you," Trunks whispered to his mother, gripping her a little bit tighter than normal. "Thanks, mom."

Trunks pulled away and walked over to the officer. "I…"

At that moment, they were interrupted by Mai stumbling into the doorway and gripping the panel. "Trunks?" she questioned. "W-What's going on?"

"Mai," Trunks breathed out, about to walk over to her when the officer gently placed a hand on his shoulder. Trunks looked up to the man, and the officer shook his head in warning.

The officer looked over to Mai and smiled. "Don't worry, miss," he assured her. "We'll get to the bottom of this."

There was a flash of panic that took over his features. "T-The bottom of what? Trunks, why are they here?"

"Mai, please calm down," Trunks warned, holding up his hands and waving them frantically. "You need to get back into bed. You're hurt."

Immediately, a doctor came running to stop Mai from walking any further. They had heard the alarms when the wires started to get pulled. Mai fell to her knees, the doctor trying to pull her back inside. She gripped the doorframe, reluctant to be pulled away. "No, no!" she fought. "I need to know what's going on. Trunks, why is there an officer here? What does he want with you?"

Trunks was about to answer, but the officer prevented him from doing so. "Miss, you have no reason to fear us," he told her. "Your stepfather called and told us about this abusive relationship you've gotten yourself into. He explained that the only reason you took out the restraining order and orchestrated this whole CPS ordeal was to protect the boy. I understand how you must feel and that you have feelings for this boy, but you must know this isn't healthy."

Trunks was stunned. Was that really what the other guy who had grabbed him believed? Was this what the officers all believed? He looked over to Mai who had been stricken speechless by the lie. He could tell that she felt that all of her fears were coming to pass. He was about to say something to reassure her, anything, but the officer added, "He won't hurt you anymore."

That seemed to wake Mai up. "Are you all idiots?" she questioned, hurt evident in her voice. "Trunks didn't hurt me. Zarbon did. Don't let him lie to you. He's lies. He always lies." Mai started crying in that moment, her eyes landing on Trunks. "Don't go with them, Trunks. Please, please, don't go with them."

Trunks's eyes were full of understanding as he frowned. "I have to," he told her. "If I don't cooperate, they'll think that Zarbon was telling the truth. Don't worry. Everything is going to be okay. You need to rest, now. Mom's going to stay so you won't be alone. Vegeta's going with me." Then, he flashed her a forlorn smile. "It'll be okay, Mai. We'll get through this. He won't win this time." He turned to the officer wearing the same smile. "I'm ready to go."

Vegeta left with Trunks looking back over to Bulma and Mai. Bulma looked so unbelievably worried, and he couldn't blame her. He couldn't believe how far south everything had gone that day when it started off so perfectly. Where they expected to return to their normal lives, this was definitely not what they were expecting.

Mai's doctor tried to move her, but she ended up on all fours sobbing uncontrollably. Bulma dropped to the floor to console the girl, but Mai pulled away. "No! It's my fault!" she shouted. "It's all my fault! I let him do it again! I knew it was a bad idea…that Trunks should have stayed far away from me. Now I'm ruining his life."

"Mai, that's not true," Bulma cooed softly, pulling the girl in for a hug careful to avoid her injuries. "Let's get you back into bed. I'm surprised you were able to get all the way over here."

"I…I saw the officer with Trunks," Mai cried. "How…how are you not mad at me?"

Bulma sighed and stroked the girl's black hair. "You're the victim, Mai. It's not your fault. Zarbon is the one who lied, but don't worry. Trunks will be okay. We'll be fighting for him and for you. Now, let's listen to the doctor, okay? Trunks would want you to focus on getting better."

"It's not fair," Mai whimpered. "It's just not fair."

"Ma'am."

Bulma looked over to the troubled doctor and frowned. "If this is about my son, I'm not in the mood."

"It's not," the doctor assured her. "I was just called down here by my colleagues. I have no idea what's going on, but I need to examine her wounds. I need to give them a medical report, no matter who did it."

"Right, of course," Bulma stated. Gently she lifted Mai's tearstained face. "Come on. I'll stay with you if you want me to."

Mai nodded weakly. "O…Okay."

* * *

Trunks huffed and leaned his head on his arm like he was resting on a pillow. It had been a half hour since the officer left him alone in interrogation. Vegeta was waiting for him outside arguing to be permitted to see him. Eventually, he succeeded and came in to join Trunks making the teenager smile. Even though he was in a horrible situation, it was nice to know he had support. "Are you okay?" Vegeta asked him.

Trunks was surprised by the question, but he answered anyway. "I guess. I'm just really worried about Mai."

"Your mother said that the doctor already examined her and now she's in a private room," Vegeta stated. "She'll make a full recovery, but she's a wreck right now, blaming herself for you being taken into custody."

Trunks looked so lost when he said that. "She does that a lot, unfortunately," he remarked. "I gave my statement again, and they haven't come back. They said they needed to call the company."

Vegeta shook his head. He had overheard the officer saying that Trunks was sticking with his story about the timecard. Apparently they had called earlier, after Broly had left. Someone there said that they couldn't find the card. Vegeta normally didn't do this, but he contacted Broly himself and left a message to call him immediately. He didn't know how this mess got started, but someone at his company had a lot of explaining to do if they lost Trunks's timecard after Broly had left.

What Vegeta didn't know was that the officers were debating on what to do about Trunks. He was a minor, and so it would look bad if they kept him in custody. However, they truly believed the boy to be lying, but Trunks so adamantly kept saying that he was at work and submitted the timecard.

Earlier, one of the officers had called Ouji Corp.'s records departments, sometime after they had spoken to Zarbon. After hearing the stepfather's concern, they figured they could check on the teenager's story. Someone had answered the phone, and that someone had been Paragus.

Paragus had been in his son's office, hoping to catch him before he had gotten home. The office was locked up for the night, so Paragus decided to go inside and leave his son a note. That was when the phone rang, and Paragus recognized the number to the local police station. He was worried about his son, so he answered. _"Hello, this is Officer Carlton. Is this Ouji Corp.'s record's department?"_

"It is," Paragus replied warily. "What can I help you with, officer?"

" _Do you happen to have the timecard for Trunks Hamasaki in front of you?"_

"Excuse me?" Paragus questioned, stunned to hear the last name Hamasaki. That was that witch's, Bulma's, last name. He sifted quickly through the cards on the desk and found it. So, that illegitimate child of hers was working for Vegeta as well, just another clear sign that she was sinking her teeth into the company that should be rightfully his. He didn't care if she was playing Vegeta, but when it interfered with his own goals, he needed to take matters into his own hands. "I'm still looking for it, but may I ask what this is in reference to?"

" _We're checking up on his statement that he was at work from the time he left school, and we just need to check that he was really at work today."_

An idea hit Paragus, a sickening grin appearing on his face as he looked down at Trunks's time card, his proof for whatever trouble he had gotten himself into. "Unfortunately, I did received his timecard today. I don't see it here. I do hope that you get everything figured out. Have a nice day."

Paragus hung up before the officer could ask for his name and took a look at Trunks's timecard. Of course, it confirmed the teenager's statement, but Paragus didn't care about that. He had been trying to find a way to get rid of Bulma, and now he figured out how to do it. Every mother wanted to protect their son. Paragus would soon find out how far she was willing to go.

* * *

Trunks was talking with Vegeta about school by the time the officers returned both looking completely displeased. "We have been deliberating for a while," the first one said, "but we've all come to the same conclusion. We contacted the company earlier and the man we spoke to said that the timecard you are so adamantly saying you filed was not handed in today."

"But I did submit it," Trunks argued. "Did you speak to Broly? I gave it to him."

"The man we spoke to didn't leave his name," the other officer said. "But the fact of the matter is a girl in injured and we can't confirm your supposed alibi. We're allowed to keep you in lockup for at least forty-eight hours. We're placing you under arrest."

Trunks couldn't believe that these officers weren't listening to him. He looked over to Vegeta, clearly frightened by the idea of spending the night in lockup. Vegeta couldn't blame him. Prison was no place for children, and Trunks was innocent. "I have a call into Broly, and the second I hear from him, it will confirm Trunks's statement. There is no point in keeping a teenager in lockup. He's not going anywhere."

"We can't be so sure," the first officer replied. "Don't worry. He'll be kept in a private cell. We know how difficult other prisoners could be. Please let the boy's mother know."

"Vegeta," Trunks mumbled, shaking slightly.

Vegeta felt terrible that this was happening, but he would figure out what happened. "Listen," he said placing his hands on Trunks's shoulders. "I promise you, I will find out what happened to your timecard, and we will get you out of this. You did nothing wrong." Trunks nodded, thankful that Vegeta believed him. He wasn't surprised by that. Vegeta knew what was going on, and apparently this Zarbon was a really good liar. He felt bad for poor Mai having to live like that for so long.

As he was lost in thought, Vegeta did something Trunks hadn't at all been expecting. Trunks released a breath when he was pulled into Vegeta's grip for a hug. It had shocked the teenager as much as Vegeta was shocked by his own action. He could see the doubt and uncertainty in Trunks's eyes and he wanted so much to take it away, so he did what his mother used to do for him as a young child when he was frightened. "I'll protect you," he promised. "Just sit tight and get some rest."

He felt Trunks nod against him, relaxing in his grip. "Thank you, Vegeta."

* * *

Vegeta absolutely hated delivering the news to Bulma about Trunks. Mai didn't take it well either, beginning to have anxiety. The doctor was stunned. Apparently, he had heard through the grapevine about her alleged attack and couldn't believe she was panicking over her attacker being in custody. When he expressed his confusion, Mai practically blew up on him.

It started when Vegeta explained that he would have the company lawyer defend Trunks. Both women had been feeling relieved, especially when Vegeta told her that the man never lost a case, even to cruel and crafty business tycoons. He knew exactly how to expose the truth or at least give reasonable doubt. The doctor had walked in then, not noticing that Vegeta's assurances were actually making the teenager feel better. He interjected, telling both Bulma and Vegeta that he thought they should leave. Mai saw red when the doctor told Bulma that her son was reported to be the attacker and that her presence would only stress Mai out.

In that moment, Mai snapped at the man. He was startled by her forceful reaction and rage-filled eyes. "You are all a bunch of idiots," she barked. "You have no idea what's really going on. My stepfather is _lying_. Trunks never laid a finger on me, not like that. He saved me. If you really want to know, call my social worker. She'll let you review my case file and medical records, but it's been documented that I've been abused long before I ever knew Trunks."

"Easy does it," the doctor placated. "If it means that much to you, I'll contact this social worker of yours. But I really feel like you need rest. All of this excitement isn't good for you in your condition. These two really should leave."

Mai instantly panicked again thinking about Zarbon. If the police were convinced Trunks was her attacker and that he was no longer a threat, there would be no one there if Zarbon showed up. Her fearful eyes met Bulma's. "I…I don't want to be alone," she admitted.

Bulma looked to the doctor hoping to get his approval. The man nodded and went about his business going to check on his other patients. The mother soothed her son's friend, excusing herself just for the moment. She and Vegeta went out into the hall slightly off to the side for some privacy. Bulma gripped Vegeta tightly, his arms wrapped around her protectively. "I…I'm so sorry this happened," Bulma murmured against his chest.

His hand found its way to her hair before he placed a kiss on her forehead. "Nothing you nor Mai nor the boy did," he assured her. "What happened to your mother and brother?"

"I sent them home after you told me about Trunks," Bulma explained. "He's going to need us all to be on the top of our game. Thank you for going with him. I didn't want to leave Mai alone here."

"I understand," Vegeta told her. "Your son is very strong and brave. He'll survive this." Bulma still looked apprehensive at the thought of her little boy spending the night in prison away from them and their home. "I'll do everything in my power to get you all through this nightmare."

"I know you will," Bulma said offering him a thankful smile. "Vegeta…I, thank you for everything, but you should go home, too, to get some rest."

Vegeta couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You don't want me to stay with you?"

"It's not that," she stated. "It's been a long day, and only one of us needs to be exhausted. Plus, that doctor is already getting on my last nerve. He'll make a huge deal about it."

"Point taken," Vegeta agreed, still reluctant to let her go. "You're certain that you will be all right?"

"No," she confessed. "I won't be all right until I have my son safe at home, Mai is healed, and Zarbon is behind bars. Until all that happens, I don't think I can be all right."

Vegeta kissed her lips a couple of times making the woman sigh. He pressed his forehead to hers and remained that way for a few moments. "I'll call you in the morning," he said softly. "I'll get in touch with the lawyer early and head down to the station straight away. If you need me, just call."

"I don't know what I'd do without you," Bulma whispered, her warm breath fanning his face. "I couldn't do this without you."

"Sure you could," Vegeta countered. "You just don't have to. Rest easy. Nothing will happen to Trunks or Mai, nothing more than what has already happened. We'll make this right." Bulma nodded, accepting his words before they parted ways. Vegeta had managed to calm her down enough so that she could actually rest, though she would be sleeping in the chair and resting her head on Mai's bed. She was glad to find Mai asleep when she returned to the room. The girl had had it the worst out of all of them that day. Somehow, they'd make it through.

* * *

Coming home to his empty apartment felt both familiar yet foreign at the same time. Vegeta realized he had only been here a couple of times over the last few weeks, just stopping by to pick up more clothes. Most of his time was spent at Bulma's home. That place was full of activity between Bulma and the two teenagers. There were moments of silence, but most of that time was spent with them sitting in the living room with everyone doing their own thing or him relaxing with Bulma while the teenagers were upstairs playing games or watching television.

He sat down on his couch looking around the dark room with a frown. This place, which used to be his safe haven, felt empty now. When Bulma had sent him away, he knew she was doing it for his benefit, but he would have much rather stayed with her. While they were away, something changed between them and Vegeta didn't want to go back.

To be honest, he used to crave being alone, but now he was so used to and comfortable being around people once again. He enjoyed Trunks's prattling about his day and enjoyed watching him interact with his friend. He enjoyed those lively meals where he was surrounded by the woman's family, her mother slightly prying into his life at times or her brother asking similar, less invasive questions. Most of all, he enjoyed falling asleep with Bulma wrapped in his arms and waking up to her deeply sleeping, softly snoring form. He didn't like the desolate loneliness his apartment conveyed. Not anymore.

Vegeta could have never seen this coming. Even when he started dating Bulma, he never expected to fall this hard for her. Everything with her just seemed natural. He couldn't even picture going back. After what occurred between them the previous night and again earlier that morning, Vegeta was certain that Bulma wouldn't want to go back either.

Now was probably the best time to broach the subject. That bastard Zarbon clearly knew where Bulma and Trunks lived. He went there in the middle of the day and attacked Mai when she least expected it. The nerve of that guy to pin his crimes on a child. Honestly, Vegeta felt more wary about Bulma being alone with the kids there. If he were there, he'd never allow that to happen. He knew he could protect them. It may have been a while since his last street brawl, but he could do it.

Maybe it would be something to discuss with Bulma the following day.

With that thought, Vegeta figured it was time for bed. He felt determined knowing that his idea would be a good and safe one for Bulma and her family granting him peace of mind. That wasn't just it, though. He knew he needed to admit it to himself. There was no going back for him, and he knew it. He truly wanted to move in with Bulma.


	29. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

The next day yielded a whole bunch of new challenges. Vegeta had contacted his lawyer, Zorn, who was more than willing to take the case. The two men had gone down to the station first thing in the morning and Zorn demanded to have Trunks sent up to interrogation. When Trunks was brought in, Vegeta was far from pleased.

It looked like Trunks hadn't slept a wink and was even sporting a black eye. He was also being brought in with handcuffs. "Is that really necessary?" Vegeta questioned indignantly.

"The kid got into a fight last night," the officer scoffed. "It's necessary."

"Trunks?" Vegeta acknowledged.

"I'm fine," he lied. "They had me in a private cell, but then some drug dealer got put in with me later at night. The people in the other cells were calling over to us saying I attacked my girlfriend and the guy in my cell got pissed because he lost his sister to an abuser. That's all."

"That's not all," Zorn stated. "Remove the cuffs now. Trunks is not a threat nor is he a flight risk. And you better find another place for that dealer. This case is sensitive, and putting a minor at risk like this won't look good, especially with his arraignment today. With this injury, you know I have the perfect reason to request bail."

"Whatever."

The man left the three alone, and Trunks relieved a heavy sigh. He had been trying to save face in front of the dealer and the officer, but now that he was in private his mask instantly disappeared. "I'm sorry you had a rough night," Zorn offered, smiling at Trunks as he handed him a water. Trunks graciously took it and started taking slow sips before thanking him. "But hopefully you won't have another night of this."

"You said there's an arraignment?" Trunks asked. "I thought those things took time."

"As soon as Vegeta contacted me last night, I pulled some strings," Zorn explained. "I've been doing this for a long time, Trunks, and I knew people who wouldn't want to leave a kid in lockup for too long for this exact reason. I petitioned to get the first session. Not only do you have a good shot of getting bail posted, but Trunks, you also have a shot of getting cleared of all of these charges."

"Who filed charges?" Vegeta demanded, his voice angry from all of this injustice.

"The girl's stepfather," Zorn explained, "but he doesn't have a pot to piss in. With everything documented by the social worker, the doctor, the officers who investigated the house, and the current medical report, not to mention anyone else we could get as witnesses, we have a sound case. The only problem is that alibi of yours and that missing timecard."

"I really did submit it," Trunks told the man. "I don't understand what happened."

"I'm looking into that," Vegeta stated. "We'll figure out what happened with the card just as soon as Broly gets in touch."

"It's a waiting game at this point," Zorn pointed out. "In the meantime, I have a suit for you to change into, Trunks, for the arraignment. We don't have much time."

"Wow…" Trunks marveled. "I still don't know how you managed to pull this off."

"Legally, I assure you," Zorn stated sincerely. "And quite a bit of favors. Now, Trunks, let's get you ready."

"Wait!" the teenager cried in alarm. "Does my mom know?"

"Not yet," Vegeta answered. "She spent the night at the hospital with Mai. Hopefully, by the time she gets in touch, we'll have good news for her."

Trunks was hesitant. "But…what about the bail? If they agree, mom needs to be there, right?"

"I'll be taking care of bail," Vegeta promised. "No matter what the cost, I'll gladly pay it."

He didn't know what to say. Vegeta had struck Trunks speechless. It amazed him that Vegeta cared so much about all of this. He expected it from his mother, grandmother, and uncle, but this? It moved the teenager more than he could ever express save with a weak smile. He was so thankful that Vegeta did care. He knew he'd be okay with him in his corner.

* * *

Bulma could not believe she had to deal with this on a Saturday. Her mother and Tarble had shown up with breakfast for her and Mai when the woman received a phone call from Ouji Corp. to come in. She really hadn't wanted to leave, but then she received a text from Launch demanding to know what was going on. Apparently, social media had exploded the night before and Trunks's alleged attack was all anyone was talking about. She just couldn't stand it.

She left Mai under Bunny's and Tarble's care, the two assuring her that Mai would be safe. Satisfied, Bulma went into work and then went straight to Launch to explain everything that had been happening. Her stepmother was stunned and gave Bulma her sympathies. When she asked if Bulma needed the number to a good lawyer, Bulma explained that Vegeta was doing everything he could for Trunks and that she trusted him. "Bulma," Launch said warily. "Are you sure about this? This is your son you're talking about, not Vegeta's."

"I don't want to hear it," Bulma countered. "All you need to know is that Vegeta cares about us and doesn't want us to be worried or stressed. He has that guy Zorn representing Trunks. He's never lost a case."

Launch's eyes widened. "Do you know how expensive he is? How can you afford it?" When Bulma looked surprised, the other woman calmed, her expression soft. "Vegeta didn't tell you that, did he? He was taking care of it on his own…"

"Vegeta is a good man, Launch," Bulma assured her. "No, he didn't tell me. He just told me to focus on Mai and that he would get Trunks out of it. Anyway, I was called in. Someone wanted to meet in my office in about ten minutes so I need to go."

"I understand," Launch stated. "Bulma…I was just worried, but I should have known. Vegeta came to talk to me before you left, not to get a blessing but to tell me he was serious about you."

That came as news to Bulma, but it made her heart flutter to think that Vegeta was truly committed to her that he'd go to Launch of all people to let her know that. A smile appeared on Bulma's face. "Also," Launch added, "the media said Trunks mentioned his timecard for his alibi, but someone here told the police that his card wasn't here."

"I need to make a call then," Bulma stated. "Excuse me."

* * *

Bulma headed to her office, immediately dialing Broly's number. The phone rang and rang until the voicemail picked up, so she knew he probably wasn't at his desk yet. It was early, after all. "Hey, Broly, it's Bulma. Listen, I don't know if you've heard what's going on, but my son is in some trouble. He was arrested last night because someone in records said they never received the timecard, but Trunks said he personally went to you and turned it in. Please…please give me a call as soon as you get in."

After she hung up the phone, Bulma released a heavy breath, the weight of the situation baring down on her. She slumped over her desk, shaking her head in her hands and leaning on her elbows. Everything was a mess and out of her control, but she had to trust that things would work out and that no one would buy the lies. She had to believe that pure evil wouldn't win.

"Well, well," Paragus's voice rang out. He sounded pleased as he entered her office. "You don't look so good."

Bulma shot the man a glare. "What do you want? I have a meeting soon."

"Yes, with me," Paragus told her. Bulma jolted upwards and looked at him in confusion and doubt. "There's much we need to discuss."

"We have nothing to discuss," Bulma stated. "We aren't even in the same department."

"It's not fully work related," Paragus admitted. "We need to talk about your son."

Bulma's eyes narrowed. "Get out of my office. My son didn't do the things they're saying. You should know better than to bring up personal and private issues to a coworker."

"We aren't coworkers," Paragus spat before smirking. "You'll be interested to hear what I have to say. You see, I believe you and your son. I don't think he did a thing."

The woman's eyes widened in surprise. "You…you don't?"

"No, of course not," Paragus stated. "Such a shame his timecard went missing…or was accidentally shredded. Yes, that's most likely what happened."

Bulma gasped. "You didn't…"

"Didn't what?" Paragus taunted. "All I wanted to say is that it's a shame working for this company has brought such ill fortune for you and your family. However, if you were to walk away, I'm certain things would get better. I'm sure if that happened, someone would be willing to explain away the misunderstanding and say they found the timecard ripped up accidentally. All you have to do is quit, and your son will walk away from all of this intact."

"Y-You bastard," Bulma snarled softly. "He is an innocent child. You can't blackmail me this way… I won't let you get away with this."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Paragus's smirk told a different story. "The choice is yours, Miss Hamasaki. I didn't think a job would be more important to you than your son."

Bulma was beyond livid. She couldn't believe the kinds of people that existed. First, Zarbon was trying to hurt her son, and now Paragus who was willing to risk a teenager's freedom. Bulma was no idiot. She was trying to keep from thinking about what could happen to Trunks if he were convicted, because she knew as many did that men who attacked women or children did not do well in prison. She didn't want anything like that to happen to her baby boy. He didn't deserve any of this.

She was about to tell the man where he could go when Broly entered her office. Caught in the moment, she hadn't expected his appearance and jumped, startled. "I can't believe you, father," Broly snapped at the man. "What you just said to her…Bulma, I am so sorry."

"Father?" she asked, shocked.

Broly's eyes widened as did Paragus's. "You didn't know?" Broly asked her.

"You know her?" Paragus irately questioned.

Broly's resentment was evident in his eyes. "Bulma is my friend, and her son is a very good kid." He turned to the woman. "I met him yesterday. He did bring his timecard to me and we talked for a while. I know it's gone now, but I had already put the information to the system. Bulma, I got Vegeta's message last night and came here as soon as I heard. I was just at my office printing out the information, but there's evidence. I'm willing to testify and say I misplaced the timecard after digitally entering it."

"You would really do that?" Bulma hopefully murmured.

Broly nodded, his eyes determined before he looked over to his agitated father. "You and I need to talk. What you did…I could have lost my job for this, and you put my friend and her son at risk."

"I can't believe she's poisoned you too!" Paragus shouted. "It's too late, anyway. That bastard child already is at his arraignment."

"What?" Bulma asked once again alarmed. She hadn't heard about that.

Paragus chuckled derisively. "Yes, well, Vegeta and Zorn worked fast to get him out of there. It's been on the news. That means this is already going to trial."

"Then I'll submit the evidence and testify in court what happened and what you did," Broly stated firmly.

"I forbid you from doing that!" Paragus yelled.

"I don't care," Broly responded evenly, his fists clenching. "You don't have a say. You don't control me. Anyone who would put an innocent kid through this is no father of mine." His eyes softened as he cast Bulma one more apologetic glance. "Again, I am so sorry this happened, Bulma."

"It's not your fault," she assured her friend smiling. "Thank you. I really appreciate this."

Broly returned her smile and nodded before he said, "Now, you should really get home and rest."

"Yeah, you're right," Bulma agreed. "I need you both to leave my office. Paragus…we're done here, and if you ever do this to my child or threaten my son again, and if you ever call him a bastard again, you will learn the true definition of 'mama bear' firsthand. Get the fuck out."

"You're right," Paragus stated. "We aren't done. I'll get rid of you soon enough."

With that, Broly yanked his father out of Bulma's office to give the woman some peace. Besides, he was not finished with his father. The two went to Broly's office where the younger male gripped his desk in rage. "I cannot believe you did this," Broly hissed under his breath trying to remain calm. "I don't care what problems you have with Bulma, but bringing her son into this…what the hell is wrong with you?"

"Me? What the hell is wrong with you?" Paragus couldn't believe that the blue-haired witch had managed to turn his own son against him. He wouldn't be surprised if she had known Broly was his son all along. "How could you trust that bitch?"

"Do not call her that around me," Broly growled darkly. "You have no idea, father, none of what she's been through. Is…is she the woman you were trying to investigate?"

"If I said she was, would you believe that I have proof of the kind of vile creature she is?" Paragus played.

Broly shook his head. "No, I wouldn't, because I know her."

"Careful," Paragus stated. "It sounds like you're getting a crush on that vile witch. I'm sure you are already aware that she's with Vegeta trying to siphon his money."

Broly scoffed. "You don't know anything. Yes, I know she's with Vegeta and I'm honestly happy for her. Like I said, we are friends. I don't have a crush on anyone. You of all people should understand that. I don't want a relationship. The friendship I have with her is plenty for me."

"Oh my God," Paragus whispered. "You told her about it, didn't you? She'll ruin you!"

"She won't," Paragus declared. "She's known for weeks, and my life has remained the same. In fact, she's talked me up to Vegeta, and he's working towards giving me a raise since I've worked here for so long. I don't know what your plan is, but they are good people. What did they ever do to you?"

"Vegeta is not a good man," Paragus countered. "If he knew, he'd fire you in a heartbeat." To be honest, Paragus didn't know if that were even true, but he'd use anything to get his son to see reason. "He took this company right out from under me, and I intend to get it back."

"That's what this is all about?" Broly asked, his eyes widening. "Are you mad? This was his inheritance! If anything, you're trying to steal the company from him. And bringing an innocent woman and child into this…I don't even know you anymore."

"After all we've been through," Paragus tried to play on their past, "I cannot believe you would betray me like this or say anything that hurtful."

Broly felt sick to his stomach when his father said this. He always worked hard not to let himself get angry, but the rage he felt was just too much to bear. "You're sick for bringing it up. Because of that, you should have never done that to Trunks. You know that men, regardless of age, don't do well in prison when they're known for assaulting women or children. If he gets convicted, he'll either be beaten, killed, or worse. He's fifteen, father. Fifteen. The same age I was when I had my breakdown. You know what I suffered, and you did everything to get me out of it and made sure it didn't go to trial, and I actually did hurt my girlfriend. Trunks…he did nothing. I am so ashamed and disgusted with you, I can't even think straight. To think you'd put an innocent through what I went through."

Paragus ignored the stuff about Trunks, arguing further. "You did not hurt her the way she said. You had an attack and simply smacked her. She was saying you ruined her and that you beat her and held her down. It was all a lie."

Broly glared heatedly into his father's eyes. "It was also a lie when you said you couldn't find Trunks's timecard. Give me back my key. You are not allowed to have access or to come visit me whenever I'm working. If you want to see me, it will have to be outside of work."

"Don't testify," Paragus demanded. "This is your last chance to come to your senses."

"I have," Broly stated, "and I'm not about to let an innocent boy pay for something he didn't do. I will do what's right, not what _you_ say is right."

Paragus hissed as if he had been burned by a fire, and in a way he felt he had been. "Then you better consider yourself fatherless," he growled darkly. "If you do this, then I have no son."

Hurt, pain, and grief consumed Broly as he heard his father's dismissive words. He never thought it possible for his father to treat hi that way, for his father to treat anyone the way he was. Bulma had done nothing except her job and being there for Vegeta. Broly had heard rumors that the board meetings were usually heated with insults being flung at the CEO by one board member consistently and that Bulma had had to step in to keep the peace. He never guessed that his father was the member in question.

He knew how much his father loved and wanted the company. He loyally served Vegeta's father for years, and Broly figured he'd do the same. Mr. Kurobushi was a good man and an amazing boss. He saw the important records and knew Vegeta did a lot for all the people who worked under him. He was not some power hungry man. That title apparently belong to his own father who was disowning the only family he had left for the sole reason that he wanted to destroy Bulma and Vegeta. Anyone in his path was an obstacle he needed to crush, even Trunks.

"Then you can leave," Broly sadly replied not looking to the man. His features were still rigid and tense. "I will say this until I'm blue in the face. I'm not letting an innocent teenager go to jail. Anyone who would be willing for that to happen is an evil bastard not worthy of being my father."

Nothing else was said between the two men, but Broly knew when his father was gone by the sound of his office door slamming. Broly released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. To be honest, Broly was very relieved that even though he was upset, the room was still silent and that there seemed to be no chance of relapse.

He sat down at his desk looking at the document he printed and highlighted the date in question before he reached for his phone and dialed the police station. "Yes, hello," he greeted. "I'm calling because I have information on Trunks's Hamasaki's alibi... Yes, I am aware he is being arraigned today. I only just received news about the issue this morning. Apparently, someone had shredded his timecard. I, however, entered it manually into the digital system before I left work yesterday... Yes, I printed it out and it is timestamped for yesterday right after Trunks left for the day. I can bring it in today for you to enter… No, I will be getting in touch with the lawyer myself to tell him I'm willing to testify… Thank you. Have a good day yourself."

Broly hung up and leaned back in his chair looking up at the ceiling. It wasn't much, he felt like, but at least he could do his part for Trunks. Bulma didn't deserve to worry about her son like this. He only hoped that Bulma would forgive him when this was all over. If not, he would truly be alone, but he would understand.

After all, his father had clearly done a lot of damage towards her already.

* * *

Vegeta called Bulma as soon as the arraignment was over and he and Trunks were on his way home. The judge had agreed that Trunks wasn't a flight risk and that another night in a prison cell was too much. Zarbon had been there, watching, grinning the entire time. He wasn't thrilled that Trunks made bail, but when the judge indicated to Trunks that he couldn't see or communicate with Mai during the rest of the trial, Zarbon was placated. Trunks stood up and verbally agreed to the terms as long as his mother and family could still visit her. The judge agreed but only because it was noted that Mai wouldn't sleep the previous night without Trunks's mother there.

Before everyone was dismissed, Zorn petitioned for officers to be stationed at Mai's room. Trunks pled not guilty, so he was definitely going to trial, and so for argument's sake, if Trunks was innocent, which he was, then Mai's attacker could still be out there. The judge agreed, and Trunks felt relief. He caught Zarbon frowning. At least Zarbon would not be able to get near Mai.

Trunks was free to go to school, though he was not permitted to leave the city. Unfortunately, that meant he couldn't go away for games, but Trunks didn't care. As long as Mai was safe and he followed the law, he was okay. Besides, he just wanted to go home. He'd agree to lose his full freedom if it meant getting to sleep in his own bed away from others who wanted to kill him. If he hadn't known martial arts, he would have ended up with way more than a black eye the previous night.

Zorn pulled up to Bulma's apartment and dropped them off. Bulma was already outside waiting for them, running up to Trunks and embracing him tightly when he got out of the car and giving him lots of kisses. She gently traced the black eye and frowned, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, baby," she cooed. "Let's get you inside. I made tacos and cookies."

"Am I dying?" Trunks tried to joke, smiling weakly. "Thanks, mom. I just want to go to bed, though."

"You need to eat," Bulma chided lightly. "Why don't you go inside and rest on the couch? I'll be in in just a second and set up the snack table. Is that okay?"

"Yeah," Trunks agreed with a nod. He looked over to the lawyer and smiled. "Thank you for everything today."

"I must say, Trunks," Zorn stated, "that you are one of the easiest clients I've ever had the pleasure of dealing with. Do not worry. You will not be convicted."

"I hope so," Trunks whispered. "Anyway, later."

Trunks quickly went inside, and Bulma sighed before looking between Vegeta and the lawyer. "I don't know how I could thank either of you enough. This whole thing has been one giant mess."

"Ma'am, it's no trouble," Zorn assured her. "Your son is a good, salt-of-the-earth kid. Everyone will see that. I will not rest until he's freed from this." He looked to Vegeta. "Now, all of you take care of yourselves. Even though we know the truth and it's a straightforward case, this week is going to be a struggle. There are many who will insult and berate you. Unfortunately, that's just how this all works. When something like this happens, everyone needs someone to hate, and it's easier to hate a kid who hasn't made a name for himself yet than to hate a business tycoon who is playing the concerned father. Focus on the words of the people who matter. That's the only way to get through this mob mentality."

"We will be fine," Vegeta stated. "We'll be in touch."

Zorn nodded and said his goodbyes before leaving the couple alone. Vegeta nearly stumbled back when Bulma unsuspectingly threw her arms around him and hugged him so super tightly. "I…I heard about the arraignment," she told him. "From Paragus. I was so worried."

"Paragus?" Vegeta growled. "What does he have to do with this?"

Bulma pulled away, her eyes sad and worn. Vegeta instantly knew something horrible happened. "We should all talk. Unfortunately, he has everything to do with this."

Vegeta did not look pleased as he followed her inside. They found Trunks lying on the couch while texting on his phone. Most likely, he was letting Goten know what was going on and that he was as okay as he could be. "Hey, Trunks," Bulma softly called.

Trunks instantly sat up and looked to his mother, his eyes as tired as hers. "What's up? Are you okay?"

"Trunks," Bulma sighed. "I'm worried about you. I'm fine overall, but I'm not okay with all that has happened."

"It is what it is," Trunks remarked, though he knew his mother wouldn't like that answer. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Trunks, she's your mother," Vegeta reminded him. "You don't need to save face in your own damn home."

Trunks's brow raised indicating his surprise before his expression softened and he sighed. "Alright, fine. A night in lockup was hell. It was uncomfortable and loud. I couldn't really sleep. Every time I tried to sleep and actually dozed off, another inmate would call from another cell calling me something derogatory and getting others to keep making noise because they didn't think I deserved to rest after what I did. It only made time drag on. I tried to meditate or something, but nothing worked there, and then they put some drug dealer guy who told me how some asshole beat his sister to death and that to avenge her he'd put me in an early grave. I defended myself and held him off, but that one critical officer accused me of making trouble and wouldn't remove the guy, so I stayed up after that."

"Oh Trunks," Bulma fussed, sitting beside him and running her fingers through her lavender locks. "I wish you hadn't gone through that, but it will be okay. We'll get through this all together. I already talked to Broly and he's going to testify. We…know what happened to the timecard."

Trunks looked hopeful when she said that, his innocence still shining through. "Really? What happened?"

Bulma hesitantly looked to Vegeta. Her boyfriend was sitting on the chair with his arms crossed. He was still waiting to see how Paragus fit into this. He was going to be absolutely livid. "Broly's father, Paragus, was in his office when the police called. He's been trying to undermine Vegeta and get rid of me, and so he decided to take it upon himself to shred the timecard and use it as a means to threaten me into quitting."

"What?" Vegeta snapped harshly. "That son of a bitch."

"Wait, so there's still no proof?" Trunks questioned.

"There is," Bulma assured her son. "Broly had entered your information into the digital system before he left work. It's timestamped and everything. He said he was going to deliver the documents to the station. I already called when I got home and Brolly did just that. Officer Carlton, the one who wasn't being a total ass hat, told me himself and though he's not really supposed to have an opinion, he said for what it's worth, he believes us and wished us luck." She looked over to Vegeta. "Broly wants to talk to Zorn, by the way, about being a witness."

"Consider it done," Vegeta responded calmly, though inside he was infuriated. Still, he needed to remain calm for both Trunks's and Bulma's sake. They needed him to be levelheaded in this incredibly stupid and pointless battle. "So this is all happening because of Paragus."

"Well, and Zarbon," Bulma corrected. She placed her hand on her son's shoulder and gave him a reassuring squeeze. "It will all be okay, son. Everything will be all right. I know we keep saying these things, but you will get out of this. The court will no doubt see through Zarbon's lies."

"Yeah," Trunks replied, though inside he didn't know if he was fully convinced. Still, he didn't want to worry his mother further and he was exhausted. "I think I'm going to take a nap. Can I eat later?"

"Sure," Bulma agreed. "As long as you eat _something._ "

Trunks nodded and got up to go to his room so he could be alone. He truly was hopeful and logically felt he'd get out of this mess, but now Mai's fears were starting to rub off on him. Never in a million years did he think Zarbon actually had enough power to do all this. Mai always said people believed Zarbon over her, and now he knew just how psychologically damaging that was. He wondered if this was how his mother felt, the true reason why she didn't want people to know of her father. If was soul-sucking to know you were telling the truth but so many others believed you were lying.

His mother raised him to be honest, and he liked who he was. He was always content with just knowing who he was, but he had never dealt with this kind of opposition before. To be honest, had that stupid officer not interfered, Trunks worried that his life would be over. He left that out when he told his mother and Vegeta the story. Rationality was losing out to fear, for Trunks did not want to go back there. He wasn't a criminal, and he didn't know how to handle criminals. If he did get convicted, he was certain he'd never see his mother or Mai again, and if he did, he would not be the same.

Sighing in frustration, Trunks threw himself back on his bed. He knew he was thinking way too much, the thing he always warned Goten to avoid. When it happened, though, it was hard to fight it. Honestly, Trunks just wanted to rewind time to when Mai moved in. One night, it was just the four of them: his mom, Vegeta, Mai, and him. They were all in the living room with the television on each working on different projects. Mai was drawing; Trunks was playing on one of his handheld systems; Bulma was reading a book; and Vegeta was reading through a report for the company in preparation for the trip. As the night drew to a close, Trunks and Mai still weren't ready to sleep, so Vegeta suggested they all go out for ice cream. He knew a stand near the pier that was still open for a couple more weeks and they were open late.

It was such a nice night, and the ice cream was really good. Mai had told Trunks that night that she was actually feeling happiness and like peace actually existed. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he wrapped one of his arms around her waist. That peace she felt…Trunks was so thrilled that he had been able to create that for her, but now it all felt like an illusion.

Well, he could either wallow, or he could do what his mother told him to do when he was really stressed and pray. He sat up on his bed and released a shaky breath. He sat in Indian style looking up at towards the sky with an uncertain frown. "Well God…you could take the wheel at any time," he started with both a joke and actual request. "Just…get us out of this. Don't let him win. And…let Mai be safe. That's all I really want. Well, that and to not go to prison again. That wasn't fun…"

Trunks sighed once again thinking that was enough. Besides, he really just wanted to sleep. He'd been awake for almost forty-eight hours and he couldn't do it anymore. He passed out for a couple of hours before his stomach woke him up, finally hungry. He sat up and looked to his dresser seeing a fresh cup of tea and his phone. He moved to check the phone and saw that he had a message from Mai. His eyes widened as he opened the text.

 **Hey,** she sent her greeting. **I know you aren't supposed to talk to me right now. Your mom stopped by and told me the conditions of your bail. I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am that I got you into this. This…this was the reason I didn't want friends. Zarbon likes to destroy anything that's good. But he's not going to win this time. Knowing you has given me hope, and that's something I never had. He may have won the battle, but he won't win the war. So, just sit tight. We'll figure a way out.**

At seeing this, Trunks smiled and felt his doubts ebb away. If Mai was saying that Zarbon would lose, he believed it. Mai believed this man to have all his power, and that is what caused her fear. Well, if she was going to keep fighting, he would too. Zarbon would lose, and they'd be free to resume their lives.

He glanced up at the ceiling again with a wide half-smile. "Well played."


	30. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

So, I'm in the process of moving around again, so as a break from packing, I decided to post another chapter. Hope you enjoy it. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon.

* * *

The following Monday at school was tough for Trunks. It seems everyone believed what was being said on social media. As he walked through the halls clutching his backpack, there were many eyes on him and it was highly unsettling. The students were all whispering to each other, no doubt calling him a monster. It didn't matter, though. Goten and Gohan were standing beside him, for they knew the truth. Even Videl and Valese continued to walk around him. It had bothered Trunks when some guy warned Videl to get away from him or she'd be next, but Videl simply punched the guy in the face and told him there was nothing to worry about and if there was she could clearly defend herself. She ended up with detention that day, but she claimed it was worth it.

Chi Chi had made lunches for the three boys, and Trunks was eternally grateful that she was on his side, too. He wondered if she'd believe the media over him and his mom, but apparently she was disgusted and appalled by the whole situation and Zarbon. Gohan told Trunks that his mother was cooking up a storm so that she could send Goku over later with a massive amount of food for his family seeing as his mother probably had no desire to cook anything.

They all asked him if there was anything they could do overwhelming Trunks with all the support. He requested that the girls go to the hospital that evening to see Mai and keep her company. He knew she was safe with that officers stationed there, but he still felt better when people they knew were there with her. She needed support, too, after all.

His friends all promised to be there for him. He knew they would be and thanked them before he rushed to homeroom. He just wanted the day to be over.

* * *

By the time math rolled around, Trunks was sure he had been called every name in the book not to mention some other "words" he was not sure even existed. In class, hateful notes were being tossed to him which he did not read. He simply handed them off to his teachers. It was a trick his mother taught him. Getting notes from people who weren't friends never led to anything good, and he would gain nothing reading them, so it was just best to turn them in. The teachers could deal with it. Trunks didn't notice the looks of pity that the teachers casted him after they opened the notes.

During math, Goten was glaring at anyone who dared to write a derogatory note, and each time one was thrown to Trunks's desk, Goten watched and picked up the note crumpling it into a ball and throwing it into the head of whoever wrote it. The students all looked pissed and harrumphed, ignoring Trunks the rest of the class. Trunks flashed Goten a thankful smile. He did what Trunks really wanted to do.

Paigen was gossiping in the back and kept looking between Trunks and Goten. She ended up slipping herself into the desk behind Trunks whispering in his ear. "If it isn't the little abuser," she teased before she dared to lick his earlobe to illicit any sort of reaction. Trunks immediately stood up drawing attention to himself, and the teacher paused in her lesson.

"Trunks, is everything all right?" she questioned sympathetically.

"May I be excused?" he pleaded not looking anyone in the eye.

"What's wrong?" the teacher tried again.

Goten huffed knowing Trunks wouldn't say anything. "Paigen is harassing him," Goten interjected, shocking both Trunks and Paigen. "I just watched her. She fucking _licked_ him."

"Language, Goten," the teacher admonished. "But I see where that can be bothersome. Paigen, go to the principal's office. I'll send a call down now. Keep your hands and…other appendages…to yourself."

"It's a lie," Paigen fought. "I wouldn't do such a thing to a known abuser. That would just be stupid."

"Innocent until proven guilty!" another guy in the class called out. "I saw her too. She's a sick bitch."

"Again, language," the teacher scolded, stomping her foot down. "Paigen, office. Everyone else, settle down. In fact, we only have a few minutes left. Everyone just leave. We'll continue this lesson tomorrow. Trunks, I would like to speak with you."

Trunks heaved a heavy sigh. "Yeah, sure." He looked to Goten. "Thanks, Ten. Wasn't sure I'd be believed so I didn't say anything."

"I've got your back, Trunks, especially with that idiotic creature," Goten stated glaring at Paigen who stuck her tongue out at him. He scoffed. "She's a fucking child."

"Just keep calm," Trunks warned his friend. "She's nothing in the grand scheme of things."

"Yeah, true," Goten sighed. "I'll catch you at lunch. Remember…delicious sushi."

Trunks chuckled at that. "Yeah, your mom's good with that stuff. I'll see you later."

He stayed behind to talk to the teacher who was strangely enough smiling sadly at him. "Take a seat," she stated. Trunks did as he was told. "How are you holding up?"

Okay…he was not expecting that. He was wary to answer, for this woman had been against him and Goten since day one. Sure, she had been better with them and getting on their case less, but he still didn't trust her fully. He expressed this concern, to which she explained that she had never known about Goten's condition. Ms. Snake had only sent the information to his teachers after both Goku and his mother had shown up and were ready to take them out of the school. Everything had been cleared up now, and she now knew he wasn't the troublemaker Ms. Snake made him out to be. She knew he wasn't talking with Goten or texting him in class because he was fooling around. He was a good kid trying to help his friend.

"You're just trying to make the world a better place," she stated making Trunks feel lighter. "I know this is all hard on you and your friends, but especially you. I'm certain this has nothing to do with you and everything to do with her stepfather. It's going to be okay, you know. Don't let any of these kids get to you. They don't know anything. I mean…you should see some of their test scores."

When she winked at him, Trunks laughed pretty hard. "That's mean, but probably true," he stated before sighing. "It's all just too much. I mean, how many teenagers can say they stayed the night in lockup and nearly got themselves killed."

"Probably more than you'd think," the teacher offered. "Trunks, that was a mistake, to keep you in lockup. It's clear that you aren't a criminal. I know it's upsetting to think of others thinking you were in lockup last night, but you need to change your thinking and be your positive self."

"What's positive about that?" Trunks huffed.

"Well, you survived a night in lockup," his teacher remarked, and Trunks's eyes widened. "And you're sporting a nice purple and blue eye, not black. I hear they're your favorite colors."

Trunks nearly cried when she repeated what he said to Goten when he first told his friend he was going to ask Mai out. "They are," he whispered, a fond smile on his face. "I didn't realize you heard that."

"I have eyes and ears everywhere," she joked. "It's called being a teacher. Do it long enough and you evolve eyes on the back of your head and an extra pair of listening ears."

"You're really funny," Trunks told the woman. "Thank you. I needed that. I still feel overwhelmed, but I feel a little better."

The teacher nodded, smiling, before taking his pass from him. Trunks stared at her like she was crazy for the moment. "What? I'm just writing out your pass to guidance. I know you've been speaking with Miss Gure. She sent an e-mail to all your teachers explaining we're to let you go whenever you need without asking questions. I felt this was a good time. I'm certain none of your teachers are going to be on you about work today."

"Thank you," Trunks marveled as he took back the paper pass. In all of this, he hadn't once thought to go talk to Miss Gure. That was actually a pretty good idea on his teacher's part.

Trunks was about to leave when his teacher called his name one last time. She beamed at him, smiling brightly. "Keep the faith."

Trunks grinned and nodded, and then made his way to the guidance office. As normal, there was a lot of activity there, and some students were glaring at him when he walked in. Ms. Snake happened to be talking with them about their future and applying to school. She glared at Trunks and motioned to him. "And this is an example of what happens when you don't apply yourself."

The boy's eyes narrowed. "I get decent grades and have an internship. That's a far cry from 'not applying myself,'" he sassed.

"You're a delinquent and a criminal," the counselor stated, the other students nodding in agreement. One of the secretaries tried to tell the woman to shut up, but she continued. "I know you went to mess around with Mai in the locker room."

"It wasn't like that," Trunks argued. "I already told Miss Gure. Mai was hurt by her stepfather, and I just went to help her get changed."

"So you actually admit you disrobed her!" Ms. Snake shouted. "Unbelievable. I can't believe filth like you was even allowed to walk these halls. You're nothing but a predator."

Trunks was trying so unbelievably hard to rein in his anger. He was about to defend himself, but didn't have to when Gure came out of her office and bid the student she was speaking with adieu. "Ms. Snake," she said with a hint of warning in her tone. "We do not speak to students this way, no matter what you _think_ is happening."

"I don't think," Ms. Snake contradicted. "I know. Mai's stepfather told me everything. This boy, if I can even call him that, has been assaulting her. He was just so concerned for her, and he wanted to send her a care package to let her know she wasn't alone while this abusive little shit molested her."

Trunks's eyes grew fearful, distrustful, and sad, and Ms. Snake actually thought for a moment that he was human. "You…you gave her our address, didn't you?" he questioned, his voice wavering. The other students looked to Ms. Snake, them also looking at her surprised. "Oh my God…you…you actually let him… I can't believe you. Mai is…Mai is in this mess…I'm in this mess…because of you?"

Gure noticed that Trunks was panicking and quickly ushered him inside her room slamming the door shut. Ms. Snake flinched at the sound and looked completely awed by the reaction she just witnessed. You couldn't fake a reaction like that, and Ms. Snake realized she screwed up. She wasn't the only one, either. One of the secretaries in the office immediately dialed the number to the police station. "Yes, hi. I need to report something about the case involving Trunks Hamasaki. I work in the guidance department and it has come to our attention that the counselor, Ms. Snake, spoke to Zarbon, Mai's stepfather and gave the man Trunks's home address." Well, another point in Trunks's favor, it seemed, and the officer who answered demanded all the files from both counselor's computers regarding Trunks, Mai, and Zarbon. They needed to figure out the real story.

Ms. Snake, however, would not be included. Once she turned over her files, she was promptly fired and placed under arrest for giving out private information when there was a restraining order in place. Of course, she admitted to not knowing about the restraining order and told them that Zarbon has asked for the address because he hadn't heard from Mai and was worried. She told them that he had said the police needed the address, and she also told them what Paigen had reported. Miss Gure's file, though, had an explanation for the incident. The officers, even the one who had been dead set against Trunks, had all seen that there was something wrong with this case they were preparing. They were starting to see discrepancies, all on the side of the prosecutor.

* * *

Bulma was so overwhelmed. She had had another run-in with Paragus, though this time Vegeta was with her. He told the man to tread lightly, for the next board meeting he was certainly planning on bringing up his horrible treachery. Nappa had already been made aware upon his return, and unbeknownst to Vegeta, he was filling the men in. They had agreed, though, not to do anything until the trial was finished. No one knew how the man would retaliate, and seeing as his actions put a child in danger they didn't want to know.

Vegeta had Bulma go home early, so she had visited Mai. The officers and doctors were a bit friendlier towards her. Mai was still stressed and worried about Trunks. The officers overheard them talking about him, but Mai had asked first. They remained silent as Bulma assured the girl that the whole timecard mess had been solved. Mai sighed, sounded relieved and happy. Bulma promised that, when the whole ordeal was over, they would plan something big and make up for it. Halloween was coming up, after all, and Mai already knew that even in the beginning of the month Trunks and his mother would be preparing for that day. They both really liked the fall.

When she got home, Bulma just felt drained. Deep down, she had faith everything would work out, but at the same time she was so darn nervous. Part of her felt like this mess was her fault. Maybe she should have done more. She could have asked Juu to send Jay by to be with the kids. She should have been more vigilant, but she honestly hadn't expected this. Her foolishness had caused this problem. Of course, she had no idea Zarbon even knew where she lived. It was why she thought Mai was safe there. Zarbon didn't know her. He had only met her at the conference, and she had told him nothing. He didn't even have their last name, and even if he had they were not listed in the phone book. There was no way for the man to have found them, even if he had overheard her name when she introduced herself to another person. None of this made sense.

Now, Trunks was facing criminal charges, and once again it was because someone at the company hated her so much that he was willing to use her kid to get to her. This shouldn't even be happening. Paragus could clear all of it us with one phone call. Thankfully, Broly was willing to do right by her son, but now Trunks had to suffer. So many people thought he was a terrible kid who abused an innocent girl. She couldn't even imagine what his day at school was like. She would have kept him home if she thought it would help, but seeing it all over the news and social media was just as bad. In fact…

" _And in another day, the case against Trunks Hamasaki will be going to trial,"_ a newscaster said. _"What are your thoughts?"_

An anchorwoman scoffed. _"Well, to be honest, I'm feeling terrible for his parents right now, though any boy whose parents would allow him to bring his girlfriend over while they're away only have themselves to blame."_

Bulma was about to growl in frustration before the voices disappeared. "Well, we didn't need to hear that, anyway," Bunny remarked in a cheerful voice as she set the remote down. "Don't you worry about them. The media always needs to stir the pot whether it's with facts or speculation."

"If they keep slandering my son, then I might be the one on trial next," Bulma grunted before tilting her head to look at the blonde woman. "Thanks for coming over mom. I didn't think I'd be able to get myself off my ass to cook dinner tonight. It's just been a long few days."

"I understand," Bunny stated a bit more seriously. "It's why I'm here. You're my daughter, and Trunks is my grandson. No way would I let you do this alone. I know you're worried."

Her daughter was startled and sputtered trying to say she wasn't. "I know Trunks will get out of this. I need to be strong for him. He's scared too, mom."

"And you are, too," Bunny replied. "He's your baby boy. Of course you're scared for him. It doesn't make you any less confident or faithful. It's a natural human emotion."

"I can't afford to feel fear," Bulma countered. "He needs me to have faith."

"You all need to have faith and trust in God's plan," Bunny told her. "Speaking of, tonight at church there's a healing service. I think we're all in need of a little healing. I figured you and Trunks would like to join."

Bulma shook her head. "I don't know, mom," she sighed. "It would be good, but I just don't know what will happen. What if all those people attack him or try to send him away? I mean, I know I'm usually the last person to ever say or believe this, but I can just picture people throwing stones at my little boy."

Vegeta had made it back to Bulma's apartment, entering at this part of the conversation, and he was surprised to hear those words come out of her mouth himself. He entered the kitchen earning the attention of the two other women. "Door was unlocked," he scolded slightly. "Might not want to do that, even if you have someone with you. Now, what's this about stones?"

Bunny smiled sympathetically before taking a seat before her daughter. "No one is going to throw stones. Everyone at church loves Trunks and know he's a good boy with a big heart. They will see the truth. Anyway, even if anyone did believe the deception, they would not go after Trunks during a healing service. Everyone there is going to receive their own healing and inner peace. They will not make it into a circus."

"True," Bulma remarked, heaving a heavy sigh. "Well, God hasn't let us down in life this far, so why the heck not?"

"Excellent," Bunny chimed. She looked over to her daughter's boyfriend and smiled. "The offer is open to you as well, Vegeta. Would you like to join us tonight?"

Bulma looked over to Vegeta to see him staring at her mother with wide eyes. "Uh, mom, it's okay. I'm sure Vegeta is busy tonight and-"

"I'll go," he stated, his expression returning to his normally steely gaze.

"What?" Bulma asked in almost a whisper. "Are you sure?"

Vegeta curtly nodded. "I would like to accompany you and Trunks if you are all right with that," he told her.

Bulma's expression softened as she reached to take his hand. "I would like that. I'm sure Trunks would as well. He needs as much support as we can give."

"When this is all said and done," he started, "I swear I will take care of that bastard, Paragus. The company has been made aware. They have agreed that once it is on public record when Broly testifies, Paragus will be dealt with accordingly. He won't get away with this."

Bulma smiled and nodded, but she still felt this horrible feeling of foreboding. She couldn't help but think about what her son was doing now. She knew he had Goten and Gohan with him, but she hoped all the other students would leave him be. He was already going through more than enough.

* * *

Apparently, other students did not see it that way. The majority of the day, Trunks spent with Miss Gure. She was very understanding towards what was happening and allowed him to just relax in her office while she saw other student's in Ms. Snake's office. The latter was promptly fired and under investigation. Everything seemed to be looking up considering she gave Zarbon his address. They had an airtight case, and Trunks knew nothing could refute all of this.

He left Miss Gure's feeling an overwhelming wave of confidence. There was nothing left to worry about. So many people were on his side, so he knew he'd make it out of this. He decided to let the chips fall where they may, going to his locker to gather his belongings and head home for the day. School was almost over, so the halls were empty, but soon students would be getting out of class to go home. Trunks figured he could get his stuff and meet up with Gohan and Goten.

What Trunks wasn't expecting was to be cornered by a group of guys.

To be honest, they were the same guys who used to harass him about his relationship with Mai. He remembered telling them off, to leave Mai alone. They had done so, and they hadn't gone near him at all either. He was uncertain about what their motives were until one of them moved to punch him. Trunks was able to avoid the initial hit, but he hadn't noticed another guy moving to strike him from behind. The wind got knocked out of him, and he ended up on his hands and knees coughing.

The two others walked around him, the four boys surrounding Trunks. He looked around, trying to find any way to get away from them, but he saw nothing. "What the hell?" he hoarsely said before coughing again.

"Guys like you make me sick," one stated angrily. "After all that time, you decided to hurt her? What happened to the guy who told us she didn't deserve the way we spoke about her?"

"She doesn't deserve it," Trunks returned. "I didn't do this. You don't know the full story about any of it."

"We know the lies you're trying to spread," another remarked. "Seriously? You can't own up to what you did? You had to bring her stepfather into this?"

"I don't answer to you," Trunks growled before forcing himself to his feet. "No matter what I say, you won't believe me, so I won't waste my breath."

"Leave him alone."

Trunks and the four guys turned to see Gohan with his brother, both looking ready to fight. Gohan was the one who called out, defending Trunks. "Seriously? You're on his side?"

"Trunks is telling the truth," Goten interjected. "My brother knows is and I know it. No matter what, two wrongs don't make a right, anyway, so back off. This is a school, not a ring."

"I can't believe either of you would be stupid enough to defend him. But fine, we'll take you all on."

"Not on my watch." The seven teenagers turned to see Piccolo standing in the arch to the hallway. "They are right. You are not to fight on school grounds. No matter what the heck is going on outside of school, you're never to bring the petty problems here. Trunks is dealing with his own trouble, and none of you should get involved, especially when you _don't_ know the full story. Now, get the heck on your way before I tell the principal you four decided to cut your last class."

The guys decided to heed Piccolo's warning and ran from the other group. Trunks released a heavy sigh before he smiled at his friends. "Thanks, guys," he said lightly. "I really wasn't looking for a fight."

"We know, Trunks," Gohan offered. "Are you okay?"

Trunks nodded. "I spent most of the day in Miss Gure's office just hiding out. I just want to go home."

"Go ahead," Piccolo offered, earning the boy's shock. "The day is almost over and the bell is about to ring, so you might as well get a head start."

"But, what about practice?" Trunks questioned.

"It's an away game this week, anyway," Piccolo reminded him. "Besides, you need all the peace you can get with what you're facing. These students are all acting very aggressive about all of this."

"Yeah," Goten scoffed. "No kidding."

"So, you don't believe what's going on?" Gohan asked.

"The kid told me before what was happening," Piccolo pointed out. "I know this whole mess happened because of the girl's stepfather. Of course, that's for the court to decide now. As for the rest of this, Trunks, perhaps it's best if you stay home the next couple of days."

Trunks wasn't convinced. "Won't I look guilty if I do that?"

"No."

"I'll think about it," Trunks agreed. "My lawyer is trying to arrange the case to happen sooner rather than later. The longer Zarbon is out there, the longer Mai is at risk."

Piccolo's expression softened. It amazed him that, despite what he was faced with, Trunks's main concern was still that girl. He was a selfless soul trying to make the best out of a bad situation. "Just make sure to take care of yourself as well," Piccolo instructed.

"You don't have to worry about that," Goten stated. "He's got us. Our whole family will help with that."

Trunks offered his friend a smile before he grinned back at his teacher. "Thank you. We're going to head home, now."

Piccolo nodded the boys off, them heading for the school's exit together. At least Trunks and his friends had been keeping good spirits. The coach smirked. Those boys sure were something. He had a feeling that, had he not shown up, they would have been able to handle themselves well. That certainly gave him an idea.

* * *

When Trunks had gotten home with Goten and Gohan, he was surprised to see his apartment packed. It didn't surprise him to see Vegeta or his grandmother there, but seeing his friends' parents was unexpected. "Uncle Goku? Aunt Chi Chi? What are you doing here?"

"Well," Chi Chi said warmly to the teenager. "I thought maybe you guys would need some food for dinner, but your grandmother beat me too it. She invited us to go with you all tonight for the healing service."

"What healing service?" Trunks questioned, looking to his mother.

Bulma smiled at her son. She had been shocked when Goku and Chi Chi had shown up with a ton of food. Between her mother, Vegeta, and now Chi Chi, she knew they'd be well fed while they dealt with the trial and Zarbon. When Bunny had brought up the healing service, Goku had jumped on going which was funny considering her friend had never really liked church all that much. The immense amount of support forced all negative thoughts out of Bulma, and she was sure it would do the same for her son. "Gramma invited us all to a healing service tonight," Bulma explained. "And we all decided it would be good for us to just go and feel peace. Even Vegeta is going with us."

Trunks's surprise flashed across his features before they gave way to his innate joy. She could see his eyes lighting up, and though he was a tough-skinned kid, she could tell that there was a part of him that wanted to cry feeling complete relief and thankfulness for everyone surrounding him. "Sounds like a plan," he said as casually as he could, laughing slightly in amusement by the rawness of his voice. "So, what's for dinner later?"

* * *

Going to the service was not as bad as Vegeta had thought it would be. He honestly expected to burst into flames as he walked inside, though that had not happened. In fact, it had actually been peaceful. He remembered a time where he didn't necessarily mind going with Ella, but it never felt like this. Perhaps it was because they were at a healing service and not necessarily a full mass.

Bulma had been a bit nervous, though she hid it well. He could see it in her eyes when they entered and everyone turned to look at them. Even Trunks had been apprehensive, but his uncle figure had clamped a hand down on his shoulder and coaxed him to sit. Though the teenager was a bit anxious himself, many other parishioners simple sent them understanding smiles and turned away. Bulma realized that her mother had been right. They had been a part of the congregation for over a decade. Lies were not going to turn people who knew truly knew them against them.

Once the service was over, Goku and his family said their goodbyes before returning home. Bunny offered to go and check on Mai, which Trunks was very thankful for. He, Bulma, and Vegeta returned to the apartment, Trunks feeling calm enough to go to sleep early. During that time was when Vegeta sat Bulma down and expressed interest in moving in.

Bulma hadn't been surprised. To be honest, she had missed him for the time they were away. Sure, she stayed with Mai for the night and he went back to his apartment, but she missed the feeling of waking up in his arms and feeling safe. Besides, she couldn't argue with his concerns. Zarbon now knew where they lived. They knew Trunks would be getting out of this whole mess, but then Zarbon would have to stand trial. It was possible he'd show up, though now Bulma was going to be all about security. She planned to have a system installed and to request that the landlord recommend a good company to add an even better lock. It would also definitely help having Vegeta there. Zarbon would never again cause harm to them and their family.

Vegeta felt a feeling akin to solace when she answered affirmatively. Part of him had been deliberating all day whether or not to broach the subject with her. Though he had come to terms with it days ago, and though he had stayed with her the last couple of nights, he had not told her where his thoughts had lied. She had been so frazzled and worried that he hadn't wanted to put another major change on her. As long as he was there, it was enough.

Except now it wasn't enough, and he had finally told her what he wanted. She didn't reject it. Instead, she pulled him close to her, wrapping her arms around him, and kissed him slowly. Vegeta responded in kind, twisting his body to get as close to the woman as possible. She smiled into the kiss as Vegeta teasingly explored her, his hands slowly creeping up her body. Bulma shivered at his touch, pulling away to stare into his eyes. Once again, Vegeta could see the love she held for him through her eyes. He realized how different this was for him, for even when he and Ella had gotten together, he had initially been frightened over what he felt for her. With Bulma, he had been a tad wary, but he was fully open with her from day one and when he heard her claim to her best friend he didn't run. Instead, he embraced it and all the changes in his life.

Perhaps she had returned something to him that he had been missing.

He stood up, holding out his hand for Bulma to take, and then hoisted her to her feet. Bulma grinned sheepishly at her boyfriend loving the way his lips curled into a smirk. "Let's go to bed," he suggested.

"Yeah," Bulma whispered, her voice airy as she let him lead her to her…no…their bedroom.


	31. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Merry Christmas Eve, everyone, and also Happy Hanukah :D I meant to post a chapter earlier, but this week was chaotic full of babysitting, taking care of mom after her surgery (don't worry, she's healthy. She just needed to have her deviated septum corrected). Then I came to visit my father's family as I do every Christmas since their main celebration is Christmas Eve. I can't wait to see my brother tonight. Very excited. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter. It'll probably be the last one for the year. Two other chapters are written, and the three after are planned out, but I haven't had much time to write this month, and I have more projects in another fandom that are calling my attention. So, until next year, I hope you enjoy. See you again in 2017 ;)

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The lawyer Vegeta had hired had worked wonders, managing to get a court date super quickly. It was good for Trunks, for soon he wouldn't have to deal with everyone looking down on him much longer. The rest of the week had passed by, his friends coming over to the house to help distract him. They brought him his schoolwork to do during the day, though it felt like the week dragged on forever. One of the bright sides was that Vegeta and his mother had both decided to work from home that week so he wasn't alone.

And now, they were at the courthouse, Zarbon and a prosecutor on one side, and Trunks and Zorn on the other. It was clear where the support lied, for on Trunks's side of the room there were so many friends and family members and some people he recognized from either church or school. Even Pilaf, whom Mai had introduced him to, sat on his side. There was no one on Zarbon's.

Of course, that wouldn't win the case, but it made Trunks feel lighter. The prosecutor was up, though, trying to make Trunks look bad with Zarbon as his witness. Trunks forced himself to appear neutral and not to glare at the criminal. Every so often, Zarbon's eyes met Trunks and the boy felt rage burning in his chest. Still, he kept calm. He was doing this for Mai. He would keep his attitude void of wrath until the end of this case just for her.

It annoyed him to no end, though, to listen to Zarbon saying how Mai had come home passed curfew the night of the dance. He said he had returned home from a business trip only to find the place empty, and when Mai came home she was littered in bruises and he needed to keep her home from school most of the following week. Mai's attendance record was evidence, and unfortunately that couldn't be refuted. However, Zorn assured Trunks he could handle it.

Zorn cross-examined Zarbon, and Trunks felt relief at his line of questioning. He didn't even touch the night of the dance. Instead, he picked upon another remark Zarbon had foolishly made. "So, you were away on a business trip," the lawyer stated. "Is that right?"

"I already said that," Zarbon stated. "Your point?"

"Is this the first time you've left your teenaged daughter alone for extended periods of time?" Zorn questioned.

Zarbon's eyes narrowed. No one had ever picked on that before, so he was a little peeved that this guy was. However, it would prove nothing. Zorn knew nothing about his life, and he had no problem lying under oath. "I normally do not leave her for extended periods of time, and when I do my brother stays with her."

Zorn smirked having already been prepared for that. "Really? Because, I would like to submit into evidence not only your traveling records for work, but also your brother's statement that he'd forbidden from going to your home to visit Mai or have any contact with her."

"How did you get those?" Zarbon growled when he saw his papers. He knew they'd prove he was away often. His eyes found his brother's angry orbs. It seemed Pilaf had forgotten his place. He's have to remind him when this was all over, and Mai too.

"I asked for and received a warrant to look at certain records from Cold Enterprises. Your boss was not thrilled."

"Objection," Zarbon's lawyer argued. "Taunting the witness. That last remark was uncalled for."

"Sustained. Careful, Zorn. Keep to questioning."

"Of course, your honor," Zorn agreed having already done his damage. He could see the look of fury and fear in Zarbon's eyes. "These documents show that you have not only been gone many times leaving your daughter alone, but that you have also left the country countless times, including times in the past when you had argued that your stepdaughter was suicidal."

"Objection, relevance?"

"It's quite relevant," Zorn stated. "You see, back when Zarbon travelled a lot, all of the times when he was home coincided with Mai having to visit her school nurse at her last school. When child protective services had been called times prior, Zarbon had stated that his daughter had physically hurt herself. Then he moved them here and said he was looking to remain home with his stepdaughter to work on her mental health. Well, these travel records prove that he had left Mai alone for two weeks after they had just moved into their new place. So, I will ask again, Zarbon. Do you leave Mai home alone often, with no one to contact?"

Zarbon was angry and nearly lunged at the cocky lawyer. It took everything he had not to strangle the life out of the man. If he lied, no one would believe him, so it was best to just answer, albeit reluctantly. "Yes."

Zorn smirked. "I have no more questions for this witness, and I would like to call my first to the stand."

"Go ahead," the judge approved. He nodded to Zarbon. "You are free to return to your seat." Zarbon did so, though as he stood up he nearly punched the wood of the podium though he made it look like he had stumbled. "Call your witness."

"Thank you, your honor. I would like to call Dr. Benson to the stand."

Trunks looked over his shoulder to see the doctor who had been treating Mai make his way towards the stand. He was sworn in and looked over to Zarbon. The teenager hoped the exchange hadn't meant that Zarbon threatened him into lying, though soon after the thought struck him it was proven false. "Can you tell us what you had found while examining the victim?"

The doctor nodded. "Yes, well, I hadn't been made aware of the previous medical records until after I had done my initial examination."

"What did you find during your initial examination?"

Dr. Benson looked over to Trunks in pity. He knew the boy wasn't going to like what he had to say, but he had to state the extent of the girl's injuries. "It was clear that she had been punched heavily and relentlessly, her internal organs bruised though not fully damaged, luckily. Mai had a few broken ribs that will take some time to heal. They narrowly missed her lungs. Some severe lacerations. The damage could have been much worse, but it seems that Mai was able to protect her vital points. I asked her about it and she said that Trunks had been teaching her self-defense moves to protect herself from her stepfather."

"Objection!" Zarbon's lawyer cried out. "He cannot attest to the words of someone who is not even here."

"Overruled," the judge declared. "Continue, counselor."

"Glady," Zorn responded cheekily. "Now, Dr. Benson, you said you were made aware of Mai's medical history after the examination. Can you tell us about it?"

The doctor nodded. "Over a week ago, Mai had been brought to the hospital by her social worker and the mother of Trunks Hamasaki. She had been severely wounded, whipped, and the doctor was able to find proof of long-term injury. In fact, he could date some of it back to when Mai was a bit younger."

"Do you agree with the findings?" Zorn asked.

"I do," Dr. Benson stated. "In fact, I looked further into the history and an old colleague of mine lost his job a couple years ago after reporting that Mai had been abused by her stepfather. She was only around fourteen years of age, then. I also requested for the social worker to send me the full case. Two officers had found whips and other devices in the home of Zarbon, all which could have been used to cause damage to the girl. It was already proven that the whip contained traces of Mai's DNA. Also, there was so much extensive damage found from before Zarbon and his stepdaughter ever moved here that Trunks Hamasaki could not have caused."

Zorn looked to the judge. "I would like to put on the record that the reason I called upon Dr. Benson as a witness is because he looked at the report. I would have called the social worker herself, but she had to respond to an emergency call this morning and could not be here."

"This is noted," the judge agreed. "The statement is significant evidence."

Zorn bowed slightly. "I have no more questions for this witness."

Zarbon's lawyer was instantly on his feet to cross-examine the doctor. "Dr. Benson, how long have you been practicing medicine?"

"Over twenty years and counting," the doctor stated before his eyes narrowed at Zarbon. "And I have never once been charged with malpractice."

The lawyer chuckled. "Impressive record," he offered, trying to appear friendly with the doctor. "You must be proud."

"I am."

"So, Dr. Benson," the lawyer crooned, "in all the years you have been working, have you ever dealt with victims of abuse before now?"

"Honestly, no," Dr. Benson admitted. "However, I studied the topic intensively, and I made sure to read every report surrounding this case. I have seen my share of x-rays, though, and to see repeat damage in the ribs and the arms drew a red flag. That is why I contacted the social worker."

"Isn't it true, though, that you sent the attacker, Trunks Hamasaki away and attempted to force his mother to leave Mai's room?"

The doctor didn't answer right away. "I did not send Trunks Hamasaki away," he stated. "He went with the officers that showed up willingly. And the only reason I asked his mother to leave was because I was concerned that Mai would be stressed out with her attacker's mother present. Instead, Mai's blood pressure increased and she verbally came after me saying that her stepfather was lying and Trunks hadn't harmed her. She asked Trunks's mother to stay with her. She was truly terrified to be left alone."

"And yet, you still can't attest for what Mai was truly thinking," the lawyer tsked. "Your words are empty if Mai is not here to act as a witness."

At that moment, the doors opened revealing Mai being helped by his nurse. He smirked at the flabbergasted lawyer. "We have already arranged that. The girl insisted upon acting as a witness."

Trunks's eyes widened when he saw Mai entering the courtroom. She looked a bit better, but she still appeared so weak. His mind screamed that she shouldn't be there. He looked to Zorn questioningly, but the man placed a hand on the boy's shoulder to reassure him. The doctor walked over and took over for the nurse, carefully walking Mai up to the stand to be sworn in. Zorn walked up to the stand and smiled at the girl. "How are you feeling?"

Mai smirked slightly and chuckled. "I'm not supposed to lie up here, right?" That actually made Trunks's crack a grin. He loved her sense of humor, but it was short lived as they both became serious. "Not great, but I've suffered worse before."

"I need you to clarify, considering that Trunks is the one on trial. Are you saying he's hurt you before?"

"No," Mai countered, glaring over at her stepfather. "Zarbon has been beating me ever since my mother passed away. Pilaf and I have called CPS a couple of times, but he always made himself look like he was the perfect father figure and he'd ruin the lives of anyone who tried to help me. I was terrified to try again, but Trunks convinced me."

"Why did Trunks convince you?" Zorn questioned. "According to your stepfather's statement, it was because Trunks was trying to get you to place blame on him."

Mai's eyes narrowed. "That's a bunch of bullshit, honestly," she remarked, her eyes softening. "Trunks was afraid for me. He…witnessed it one time."

Zorn frowned, as did many. "Can you elaborate?"

"Please don't make me," Mai pleaded. "It was horrible. You see, Zarbon didn't want me making friends, but Trunks didn't take the hint when I acted distant. I tried insulting him to push him away, but he never gave up on me. Eventually, I just gave in, and when Zarbon was away, I stayed with him and his mother. They were so wonderful, and I know they were both suspicious, but I made up stories of how I got bruised. I was going to talk to Bulma about what was going on at home the night Zarbon returned…the night of the dance."

"The dance that your stepfather claimed you had been beaten?"

Mai scoffed a laugh. "Yeah…that one. I wasn't beaten before the dance. He texted me that he was home and I wasn't there. I haven't been allowed to leave the house unless I get it approved, and he wouldn't approve going to the dance. I wanted to go, and since he wasn't going to be home I figured I could sneak back home after. That's when he beat me. That and the next day, which is why I couldn't go to school.

"Trunks brought me my schoolwork one day and saw that I had been hurt," Mai explained. "I explained through notes that he needed to leave and drop the issue or Zarbon would come after him too. I still have the notes now that I'm at his house. We used his school book to communicate. Zarbon then had to leave and kicked Trunks out, but Trunks didn't go far and he heard me crying out as Zarbon came after me."

"Why did Zarbon come after you?" Zorn pressed lightly. Mai shivered slightly as she went over it in her head. "It's okay. Take your time."

Mai took in a shaky breath. "Back to what I was saying before, Zarbon didn't want me to have friends. So…for the couple people I was friends with, I gave them nicknames in the phone. Trunks's was Lavender, and this guy I know through Zarbon found my phone and told him about this girl Lavender I was friends with. Zarbon saw through it when he saw Trunks and when Trunks left, Zarbon was angry that I had lied to him." She looked over and saw her stepfather fuming. "When he left for work, Trunks came inside and helped me treat my injuries. He stayed with me for a while, and when I woke up he told me Zarbon texted that he'd be away for the weekend and that…that my attitude better change by the time he got back."

"Do you have your phone?" the lawyer questioned. Mai nodded. "Would you mind if I showed the texts to the judge and jury?"

"Objection," Zarbon's lawyer declared. "This isn't family court, and this has no bearing on Trunks's actions towards Mai."

"It's evidence that may exonerate my client," Zorn explained. "It's evidence that your client may not be telling the truth."

"I'll allow it," the judge stated, interested to read the texts. He looked down to the girl. "Please hand over your phone, miss."

Mai did so, and she could almost see the steam coming out of Zarbon's ears. The judge read through her conversations with Zarbon and Trunks and frowned before handing it to the bailiff to show to the jury. Some of the members were shocked, and Mai's phone was then placed with the rest of the evidence. Trunks's worried eyes met Mai's and she smiled nervously at him. Zorn then went back to questioning her. "Mai, you're clearly in pretty bad shape. Why would you risk coming here?"

"I had to," she replied. "People needed to know the truth. Zarbon has…he's gotten away with too much. I couldn't…I couldn't t-take it if it happened again." Mai was becoming emotional, crying, her body shaking. "I saw how the officers took Trunks in. I begged him not to go. He and his mother were the first people other than Pilaf to ever believe me. They rescued me. They _saved_ me. They gave me a home…security. I…I…"

Mai was very upset and rightly so. Everything she had feared had come to pass. The only difference was that this time she was fighting, and she would keep fighting. Through her tears, she continued. "I couldn't let Zarbon get away with lying and ruining the life of the man I love," she murmured softly, but Trunks heard it. His eyes went wide, his lips parting in amazement. Had he just heard right.

"Mai," he breathed out, but his lips pursed shut. He couldn't say anything right now. It would just cause problems for her with the other lawyer.

"I couldn't let anyone ruin the life of an innocent teenager," Mai added. "If he went to prison now for a crime he didn't commit, his life would be over. He's only ever been amazing and respectful towards me."

"I think that is all I have for my line of questioning," Zorn told her. "Let's get you down from there."

"Actually, I have some questions for Mai," Zarbon's lawyer interjected.

Mai frowned at the man, but she wiped away her tears and looked like a force to be reckon with. Her eyes were filled with a determined fire. She was not backing down, not again, not when Trunks's life was the one at stake. "Fine by me," she stated, her voice cold, and everyone took notice of that.

The lawyer didn't miss a beat. "No one has denied that you love Trunks," he started. "Even your stepfather had said this. You don't have to lie to protect Trunks anymore, so just admit it. We'll protect you."

"Trunks didn't hurt me," Mai reiterated. "Zarbon did. My answer isn't going to change."

"But you admitted that you fear him going to prison," the lawyer approached again. "So it stands to reason that you would lie."

"I'm not lying," Mai stated again, this time feeling a little angrier. She glared over at Zarbon. "You can keep trying, but my story won't change. I'm done letting Zarbon get away with hurting me. I'm going to fight, and I'm going to keep on fighting him no matter what the outcome even if I end up dead in the process."

"Mai, no!" Trunks shouted slamming down on the table. "Don't worry about me! You've got to stay away from him! Don't put yourself in that position!"

"Counselor, control your client," the judge admonished. "I don't want to see another outburst on your end."

"Forgive us, your honor," Zorn stated, trying to settle Trunks down. "Easy Trunks."

"No," he whispered. "You can't let him…"

"It will be okay," Zorn assured him. "Just calm yourself." The lawyer looked over to the jury who were all staring at Trunks with astonished eyes. The outburst actually helped more than it hurt, for everyone could see just how truly afraid Trunks was for Mai. As long as Zorn could keep Trunks's outbursts contained, everything would be fine.

Zarbon's lawyer tried to get Mai to change her story, but she refused and the pain was starting to come back. The doctor attempted to convince her to leave the court and return for the hospital, but she wanted to see it through. She convinced the doctor to sit her with Bulma, the woman hugging her and apologizing to the girl for having to relive the past.

"Call your next witness," the judge ordered.

Zorn looked around not seeing Broly. He was technically going to be his last witness, but Zorn had decided on calling Trunks to the stand. Of course, before he could, Broly entered the courtroom taking a deep breath. "I apologize for my lateness," the man stated. "I was held up."

"That is quite all right," Zorn stated before looking to the judge. Calling Trunks would have to wait. Broly's testimony was important. "We would like to call Broly to the stand."

Broly immediately walked to the podium and allowed himself to be sworn in. He took a seat and looked out to everyone. Being in front of so many people made him nervous, but the fear in both Bulma's and Trunks's eyes strengthened his resolve. If they could handle this, he could too. "So, Broly, why did you contact me earlier in the week?"

"Well," he breathed out, "I am an employee for Ouji Corp. I work in the records department."

"So, you handle timecards and such, correct?"

"I do."

"The day the attack in question took place," Zorn started, "Trunks said he had been working. Is this true?"

Broly nodded. "Yes. He came down to records to submit his timecard."

"And yet the officers said that they spoke with someone in the department and that the timecard could not be found. Can you explain what happened?"

"Unfortunately, I can," Broly stated. "I should start by saying that the real reason I was late was because I had a run-in with my father. He did not want me to come testify."

"Why is that?"

"Because he admitted to destroying the timecard that would have proven Trunks's alibi immediately," Broly stated. "I caught him threatening Bulma the other day saying he would clear up the misunderstanding with the cops if she agreed to quit her job."

"What does that have to do with the timecard or Trunks?" the lawyer pondered.

Broly's guilty eyes met Bulma's and then he looked over to Vegeta full of apology. "My father was always a loyal employee to the late Vegeta Ouji. He had hoped that when the man passed away that he would be given the title of CEO," Broly explained. "He always rambled on about it, but I always remained silent. The company had already decided to honor Mr. Ouji's wishes to appoint his son as CEO. Since Mr. Kurobushi took control of the company, my father had been more agitated. I honestly never thought he'd go this far to try to get control."

"That still doesn't explain why your father would go after Miss Hamasaki or her son," Zorn stated. "And it doesn't explain why he'd be willing to break the law in order to get control."

"It doesn't make sense," Broly agreed, "but my father apparently has hated Bulma since she started working there. He had tried to mislead me before saying he wanted to investigate a new employee and I told him to go to Mr. Kurobushi to receive permission. He never came to me on the matter again. I figured he dropped it, and I had no idea that Bulma was the woman he was trying to investigate." His eyes found Bulma's again. "She is a friend of mine, and I couldn't believe my father would go after her. He doesn't like that she can pacify situations that would normally make others, like Mr. Kurobushi, look bad. He purposefully goads Mr. Kurobushi, and Bulma interferes with that."

"So Trunks did hand in his timecard, but it was shredded," Zorn clarified. "Other than your word, is there any other proof that Trunks was there?"

"Yes," Broly stated. "I entered his information digitally and timestamped it right after Trunks had left and that has been submitted to the police already. There were also many people who had seen him that day. I'm sure that if the officers had decided to check the security cameras that that would be enough proof."

"That is a good point," Zorn stated, "which is why I would like the court to know that the officers requested video footage from Ouji Corp. just this morning. They have sent the proper documentation to the court to prove that Trunks's alibi which proves that Trunks Hamasaki was telling the truth." He looked to Broly. "Thank you, sir. I have no further questions for you."

Broly too answered with a nod, though he did not move. It looked like Zarbon's lawyer was already making his way over to him. He took in a deep breath to keep himself calm. He had a feeling he would not like the man's line of questioning. "So, Broly, is it? You stated that you are friends with Bulma Hamasaki, the mother of the accused, correct?"

"Yes," Broly stated.

"So you would probably do anything to keep her son safe and lie," the lawyer accused.

"The documentation proves that I am not lying, just as it proves that Trunks is not," Broly declared. "Of course I would want to protect Trunks. He didn't do this. If he had, I would be surprised, but I wouldn't lie."

"True," the lawyer replied. "You can only attest to the time he was at the company, and you have, and as you've stated, you didn't lie and Trunks didn't lie about his alibi."

Broly was confused. Was the lawyer finally admitting that Trunks was innocent? It didn't seem it like considering Zarbon looked unperturbed. "So, you wouldn't be able to tell me if Trunks had beaten her when he returned home from work, then, right?"

"Excuse me?" Broly remarked. No, he couldn't, but that wasn't something that he should have even been asked.

"Objection," Zorn declared. "Speculation. He just stated that the witness wouldn't be able to answer that. Broly has already answered the necessary questions. It's time to call the next witness."

"Sustained," the judge agreed. "Cut the theatrics. Unless you have a question about the evidence, wrap it up."

"I have no further questions," the lawyer said with a smirk before walking away.

Broly made his way over to Bulma and sat beside her and Mai. "I am so sorry this is even happening."

"Don't be," Bulma assured. "This was none of your faults. Thank you so much for speaking for Trunks."

"Yes, thank you," Mai agreed. "If it's anyone's fault, it's mine."

"It's not your fault either, Mai," Vegeta spoke up. "We already know the real culprit. Hopefully, the jury will see it too."

"I would like to call Trunks Hamasaki to the stand."

That caught Trunks off-guard. Zorn had said that he didn't necessarily have to put him on the stand. He wasn't prepared for this and, for a moment, he was paralyzed. "Trunks," Zorn stated again snapping him out of it. "Please take the stand."

This time, he got up and slowly made his way to the podium. He looked straight ahead trying to ignore the jury staring at his as he passed, and was sworn in. He didn't look over to Zarbon or out to anyone else. He just looked down at his lawyer. Zorn smiled sympathetically. "You doing all right?"

"Just a bit nervous," Trunks admitted. "That's all."

"Why do you feel nervous?" Zorn asked.

Trunks sheepishly smiled. "It's all just been very overwhelming. I wasn't prepared to talk, nor did I expect to see Mai here." His brow furrowed in his worry. "I just wanted her to focus on healing…not come here. I didn't want her to have to deal with this mess."

"I have a very important question for you, Trunks," Zorn stated. "If it came down to it, and Mai's testimony was the deciding factor, would you be happy that she came anyway?"

"No," Trunks immediately shot down looking down to his hands and closing his eyes. "I would rather go to prison than let Mai risk her health like this. I mean, I can't change it now, but if I had known I would have told her to stay away and heal. I can handle this, and I don't blame her for any of this."

Finally, Trunks looked up, no longer nervous, and he found Mai in the crowd, their eyes meeting. Mai was clinging to his mother for support, and he smiled comfortingly. Zorn noticed the exchange and grinned. "She seems to care a great deal about you," he stated. "In fact, she admitted before that she loved you."

"Objection, relevance?"

The judge looked over to the other attorney, his brow furrowed. "What are you objecting? There was no question asked."

The attorney was about to respond, but Zorn's voice interrupted his. "Trunks, how do you feel about that?"

Trunks simply smiled, wiping away a tear before chuckling at himself. "She'd probably tease me for shedding a tear over her saying that." Mai covered her mouth to cover up her own laugh as tears filled her eyes. "To be honest, it makes me unimaginably happy. I love her too. I have for a while now. A really long while."

"Did you tell her that before?" Trunks shook his head. "Why not?"

"I…didn't want to pressure her," Trunks admitted. "We only just kind of sort of agreed to have our first date. When I realized it…well, it was around the time I found out about her stepfather. We hadn't known each other long, and I just didn't want to overwhelm her. I thought about telling her before she told me she wanted to talk to a social worker. I told her we'd be whatever she wanted us to be. I didn't want to…"

"I understand," Zorn stated. "You seem to care a lot about her, too. You've made that perfectly clear. I have to ask, though, for the court record…Trunks, did you cause any of her injuries?"

"No," he rejected. "I could never hurt her like that. It makes me sick to my stomach to think that anyone could hurt anyone like that."

"Would you still be worried about her if you got convicted?"

"Yeah," Trunks admitted. "I would. Even if the restraining order stayed in effect, Zarbon wouldn't care. It's bad enough he got our address from one of our old guidance counselors."

"Yes, I heard about that from the officer," Zorn agreed. "The counselor was fired, right?"

"She was," Trunks stated.

"Is that all you'd be worried about?" Zorn pressed.

"No…" Trunks reluctantly admitted before sighing. "Mai has a bad habit of feeling guilty over things that aren't her fault." He looked over to her and shook her head. "None of this is your fault. You have to stop blaming yourself."

"I can't," Mai said loud enough that everyone heard.

Trunks cast a forlorn grin. "You have to get to that point. I'll be okay, not matter what." Tears streamed down Mai's face as Bulma wrapped her arms around the girl. Everyone could see that Mai really was torn up by all of this, including the jury. Zarbon looked highly displeased and nudged his lawyer.

"Enough of this," the opposing attorney stated. "The two of them are not permitted to have any discussion until this trial is over."

"Continue with your questioning, counselor."

"I just have one last question for you, Trunks," Zorn stated. "Could you give us your statement once again from the day this attack happened?"

Trunks grimaced, but nodded. "Mai and I agreed to separate after school," Trunks explained. "I just wanted to get some things set up for when my boss returned from a conference. I spent a couple hours there while I assumed Mai was safe at home. You see…we knew Zarbon was going away to the same conference. He wasn't even supposed to be in town."

Zarbon sneered. He figured that Trunks's mother must have told him that, although it was possible that Mai could have told them that he was supposed to be out of town. He came back early to catch the family off-guard. Trunks had been very lucky he wasn't home, actually, for Zarbon had been prepared to deal with Trunks as well. "Anyway," Trunks continued, "I brought my timecard to Broly and we talked for a little bit. Then I went home and found the door left open. When I went inside, it was dark, but the television was on, and when I went to find Mai I found her on the floor of the living room. I went to wake her, to figure out what had happened, and she told me Zarbon had attacked her. I called 9-1-1 right after. That's my statement."

Zorn nodded. "No more questions." He glared over to his competition. "Your witness."

The attorney smirked as he stood up to question the teenager. Trunks was a bit nervous, but he had already said everything that mattered. There was nothing this guy could do to make him appear any worse. "As I stated to the last witness," he started, "how do we know that any of what you're telling us is true? You had plenty of time to run home and harm poor Mai before calling the police. You could have told Mai to corroborate your story."

Trunks didn't react. In a deadpanned voice, he stated, "Actually, I didn't have time. I usually walk everywhere, and it's about a twenty minute walk from Ouji Corp. to my apartment. From the point of my time card to the time my call was received by emergency services, I had maybe minutes, and with Mai only semiconscious and the fact that I wasn't able to talk to her at all because the police showed up, we didn't have time to come up with a story for her to corroborate. What we've both said is true. You can choose to believe us or not, but we know the truth."

"I think you'd say anything to get out of going to prison," the lawyer stated. "You're a kid who has an easy life and one night probably brought you back to reality."

Trunks grimaced, but was thankful when Zorn stepped up for him. "Objection. Badgering, and speculation."

The judge agreed. "That statement is to be stricken from the record. Counselor, don't make me say it again. Cut the theatrics."

"It's a simple fact," the lawyer countered, "that most people would do anything to avoid prison."

"Yeah, and that's exactly what your client is doing," Trunks cut in, earning Zarbon's glare. Trunks's eyes focused on the man with so much determination that Zarbon sneered. "You can keep having your lawyer question me. You can have him make me look like a liar. You can even have him attack me. But nothing you do will ever get me to change my story. There's nothing you can do to me that would ever make me stop protecting Mai from you."

"Call the next witness," the lawyer spat harshly. Trunks was finally dismissed from the stand.

Zorn stood up after Trunks sat down. "We have no more witnesses. We would like to move to closing statements."

The judge was about to approve the request when another teenager ran into the courtroom breathing heavily. "Goten?" Trunks questioned, surprised. He had been expecting his friend to be in school. They had agreed he shouldn't be there, for Trunks was worried it would all stress him out.

"Please," Goten begged his attorney. "Please put me on the stand as a character witness."

Zorn's brows furrowed. This was completely unexpected, and he didn't know if it would hurt or help Trunks to add this teenager as another witness. He had never had a case quite like this, but he figured he should be prepared for everything. At that moment, an older version of the teenager came in and went over to sit beside Broly. "Goku, what are you two doing here?"

"Sorry, Bulma, but Goten wanted to help," her friend explained. "I had to chase him here from the parking lot."

The abrupt entrance of Goten happened to cause a commotion in the room, the judge banging his javelin to return attention. "Order. Order in the court. I believe we should move on."

Zorn looked into Goten's eyes and could see the fire burning behind his irises. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to put Goten on the stand, though he didn't really know what to ask. "Actually," he stated, "I'd like to petition the court for a breach in conduct and call this boy up to the stand as a character witness, like he said."

"Oh come on," Zarbon's lawyer complained. He looked to the judge. "Your honor, he's stalling. The evidence has already been discussed. This kid's testimony should have no bearing on the case."

"I just want to help my friend," Goten declared, looking to the judge. "Does it really matter? Please, just let me do this. If my testimony does nothing for the case, then it doesn't matter if I speak, right?"

"Goten…" Trunks murmured, his lips pressing into a firm line.

Bulma looked over to Goku hoping for a better explanation. Goku whispered over to her over Broly and Mai, "Goten was a wreck all morning. Chi Chi was willing to keep him home from school, but Gohan convinced him it would be a good distraction. Goten texted me a little while ago to come sign him out. He wanted to help Trunks. His anxiety was so high, I just agreed hoping I could talk him down in the car, but the second we got here he shot out of the car and ran here. I think what did it was those kids at their school saying Trunks was going to go to prison. At first when he said he wanted to help, I thought he meant moral support."

"Well, let's hope that he says what he wants to and that Zarbon's lawyer doesn't try to attack him," Bulma murmured back. "Thank you, Goku, for bringing him here and for coming."

"Of course, B," Goku stated. "We're family, after all."

Broly looked down to the other male with a serious look on his face. He remembered Bulma talking to him about this man and his family and how he too suffered from mental ailments. The tall man then looked to Goten, taking the stand, and instantly felt compassion towards him. If Broly himself had felt overwhelmed on that stand, he could only imagine how the kid felt with the thought that his friend would be going away. That boy had definitely earned his respect for what he was trying to do.

"Goten, is it?" Zorn questioned. "Why don't you just tell us why you decided to come here to speak with us today?"

"Like I said," Goten responded, "Trunks is my friend. I've known him my entire life, and he's not what everyone is saying he is."

"Why do you say that?"

Goten heaved a heavy sigh before taking in a deep breath and releasing it. "Well, truthfully, I suffer from an anxiety disorder, and I'm bipolar," he admitted. "I don't like to talk about it or admit it, but I have to now."

"Why?" Zorn pressed.

"Because," Goten stated, "I needed people to know the kind of guy Trunks is. He's the kind of guy who would forgo sleep just to listen to me talk about the same shit that gives me anxiety. He's the kind of guy who would do anything for his friends, especially when he knows they're suffering. He puts everyone else first and himself last. We tell each other everything."

"So, I assume Trunks has spoken to you about Mai, then," the lawyer stated.

"Yeah," Goten said with a sad smile. "You know, when he first told me he was thinking of asking Mai to the homecoming dance, I wasn't all that supportive."

"Why is that?" Zorn asked.

"Well, Mai hadn't been very receptive to him any time he tried to talk to her, and she was kind of known to be a really tough girl," Goten explained. "I told him he'd wind up with a black eye."

"What did he say to that?"

Goten laughed. "He said he preferred to think of it as blue and purple 'cuz he liked those colors," the teenager retold. That caused a roar of laughter in the courtroom, and even Trunks and Mai could be seen chuckling. Goten smiled. "That's just the kind of guy Trunks is. He always stays optimistic. It's helped me, and I know it helped Mai. She confided in all of us, our group of friends I mean, for what was going on at home. But no matter what, Trunks tries to help everyone. That optimism…it makes us feel happy, calm, and safe, and he's super protective of all of his friends. Even if the court rules against him, all he would want is for Mai to be safe. He's…told me so himself."

Trunks sunk down in his seat when he heard the concerned tone Goten spoke in, and he was sure Mai was having a conniption from listening to their friend's words. He felt guilty for worrying both of them and realized that this must be what they felt all the time. When Goten said he was finished, and Zorn walked away from the stand, Trunks was thankful that Goten would be dismissed.

Only he wasn't.

"So, basically you came here to protect Trunks," Zarbon's lawyer pointed out. "You could care less about Mai."

"That's not true," Goten countered. "I haven't lied. Yes, I came to protect Trunks because you're trying to make him look like a monster, and that isn't Trunks."

"There's no need to hide it," the lawyer continued to goad. "After all, you did say that Trunks is the guy that helps you manage your anxiety. You'd probably be willing to do anything to keep him out of prison. You don't need to pretend to care about this girl you hardly know."

Goten stood up and slammed down on the podium. "Don't tell me how I feel," he snapped, though he managed to keep his voice low. "I do care about Mai, but you're right. I'm here to try to keep our friend out of prison. We don't want to see his life ruined because of some abusive, compulsive liar. Zarbon should be the one on trial here, not Trunks…not some innocent guy who was only trying to help another person. Trunks only ever wanted good things for other people. But…if this court…if they decide to send an innocent man to jail despite the clear evidence, I'm never trusting the legal system again."

As his final words were spoken, dead silence rang out in the courtroom. Goten had seemed to strike everyone speechless, including the judge, who eventually cleared his throat and decided to move the case along, dismissing Goten and allowing the two attorney's to give their closing statements. After that, the jury was sent away to deliberate and the courtroom was cleared until the verdict was to be read.

* * *

Everyone was waiting outside, a protective bubble of friends and loved ones surrounding Trunks. Juu finally was able to make it, apologizing profusely to Bulma and Trunks for not being able to get there sooner. Bulma explained to her friend what had gone on in the courtroom, and Juu seemed to be relieved to hear some of what was said.

Despite what the officers and doctors standing with Mai had recommended, the girl forced herself away from them and ran over to Trunks, nearly stumbling on her way. Trunks quickly moved to catch her as she hugged him tightly and sobbed against his chest. She repeatedly apologized as her stunned friend moved to awkwardly pat her back while blushing. He tried to soothe her, and when the cops came over to escort her away from the boy, her grip only tightened, so much so that they would have hurt her if they tried to pry her away. Trunks's eyes pleaded with the officers, and they decided to just stay nearby. Mai relaxed when they left, especially when she felt Trunks running his hand through her hair.

Everyone looked to the teenagers and saw Trunks trying to calm Mai down and stop her crying with comforting, loving words. They could see the truth, finally. So many had come out to defend him. Speaking of which, Goten went to speak to his friend, Trunks expressing both his surprise and thanks. Goten clamped his hand down on his shoulder, simply stating that Trunks would do the same for him. The two boys smiled to each other. That left Bulma, Vegeta, Goku, and Juu to talk, Bulma then stating, "And now we wait."

Not everyone was thrilled with the little display. Zarbon marched himself over to the group, but Juu noticed and inserted herself between the man and her friends. "Don't take another step," she ordered. "The restraining order is still in effect, and if you take another step towards Mai, I will have my brother over here so quickly to arrest you for breach in the order and not assault."

Zarbon sneered at the woman. "Your brother isn't from this local precinct," he spat. "He can do nothing to me."

Still, he walked away moments later, knowing that that wasn't fully true. That was the moment that the bailiff came to escort everyone back inside. Mai refused to let go of Trunks, but the teenager gently cradled her face so as not to hurt her. "Hey," he called out to her, "it's going to be fine. I promise."

"I don't want to lose you," Mai whimpered. "I'm…afraid of letting go. If I do, they'll take you away from me."

"No one is going to take me away from you," Trunks placated. "Just trust me. All you need to worry about is picking the movie we'll be watching tonight, okay?"

Tears leaked out of Mai's eyes as she both laughed and choked on a sob. "Yeah…I'll make sure it's a really cheesy romance," she teased. "We haven't watched one of those in a while."

Trunks smirked at her. "Sounds like a plan…beautiful."

She let go of him, allowing him to walk away from her. Mai honestly didn't understand how Trunks was remaining so calm and optimistic about all of this. She was terrified that she was going to lose him. She couldn't handle it if Zarbon won again, not when it meant losing the only person who had ever cared about her this much.

The jury had made a unanimous decision, which immediately caused Trunks's blood to run cold. It meant that everyone believed one side over the other, and he was hoping it would be his. In his mind, though, he could hear them reading their decision, and he pictured them sending him away. However, as he truly heard them read the verdict, relief was all he felt.

"We find the defendant, Trunks Hamasaki, not guilty."

There were many sighs and cries of relief in the courtroom, the judge once again calling order. He declared that Trunks was free to go and adjourned the session. In that moment, the officer who had arrested Trunks and given him grief was already over by Zarbon placing the man under arrest. The angered man swore vengeance on everyone as he was hauled away. His eyes found Trunks and Mai, the two standing together. His words, "I'll make you pay," chilled Mai, but Trunks held her protectively against his chest whispering reassuring words in her ear. At least one thing could be said.

At least that part was over.


	32. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Happy New Year, everyone! I promised I'd update again after the new year ;) I hope everyone had a great holiday and are ready for this new year. Here's hoping I get to work on more of my stories… There's a lot of really old ones I still intend to complete. Anyways, I hope everyone enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope you all enjoy this one. And I normally don't advertise my stories in other fandoms, but if you're big BXV fans, and also like Yu Yu Hakusho, you might be interested in some new stories I started with my other OTP, Hiei and Botan. They remind be so much of BXV, but a tad different. Go give them a read if you're interested, and thanks for the continuous support on this and my other BXV fanfics.

And now, it's time for the new chapter!

* * *

Life had returned to normal, or as normal as life could be. Zarbon had gone to prison, his trial scheduled for a couple months later. Because so much evidence had been collected against him, neither Mai nor Trunks would have to stand up as witnesses. Surely, that was a move on the court's part not to overwhelm the children like that again.

Mai was still living with Bulma and Trunks, and now Vegeta was in the process of fully moving in. The flame-haired man had ended up giving him apartment over to Raditz as a thank you for all he had done for him in the past. It was in a nice neighborhood and close to work, so Raditz jumped on the chance. There was nothing in the place that Vegeta wanted to keep. Everything he owned was generic. All he needed to take were his clothes, some toiletries, and a box of old personal items he kept from his younger days.

When he officially moved in, Bulma spent the day helping him put all of his clothes away. In fact, when he had arrived at the house, dropped off by Raditz, she had already cleared out some of her drawers and made space in her closet. She had also moved some stuff around on shelves she had so that he had his own space and had a place in the bathroom for his shampoo and other items like that. She had wasted no time in making room for him in her home, a notion that caused his heart to leap. He had already known she had wanted him there, but he had never considered how much.

He looked around _their_ bedroom and smirked. She really had gone overboard. In an effort to make him feel at home, no longer was her bed covered in her pretty patterned bedspread. Instead, the sheets were dark brown and the bedspread was a deep dark blue, solid color, or it could be flipped over to be red. She hadn't needed to do that either. Vegeta didn't particularly care what the room looked like, but he was thankful that Bulma wanted to make him feel at home.

Home…did he ever really have one of those?

"Hey," Bulma called to him, entering the room. She was already dressed for work, pinning her hair up as she walked in. "Ready for breakfast?"

Vegeta curtly nodded, his expression stoic as he followed Bulma out of their room. The two of the descended the stairs and entered the kitchen just in time to see Trunks and Mai making a mess of themselves as they were fooling around while supposedly cooking breakfast. The scene made Bulma smile and lean into her boyfriend, Vegeta's arm immediately responding and wrapping around her.

It was an incredibly pleasant morning.

* * *

Mai couldn't believe how much she enjoyed walking around, looking around, taking in everything around her. It had been so long since she had been hiding within herself allowing this beautiful world to pass by around her. Trunks smiled as he watched Mai coming out of her shell. It was good to see her feeling free. Ever since he had met her, he had never seen her like this. Maybe that was what kept calling him back to her. Well, she was free now, and they were kind of sort of together.

Since the trial a half a week prior, they'd been practically inseparable, cooking together, watching movies, playing games, or going for walks. They hadn't really gone out yet or even voiced their feelings again, though Trunks had started this new habit of kissing Mai's forehead every night before they parted. It always left Mai blushing and smiling, such an endearing combination on her.

At school, people would watch them as they walked to their classes hand in hand, Trunks dropping Mai off. They would usually chat a few extra minutes before the bell rang, both acting just a tad bit shy. Though they were happy with the evolution of their relationship, they hadn't discussed where they were going or not. So much change was happening, though, that they didn't need to. Mai was content with Trunks being slightly reserved. She kind of want to move slowly. This was all so new to her, and she was simply enjoying her freedom and her time with Trunks.

Trunks was reluctant to release Mai's hand as they leaned against the wall beside her classroom. So many students were staring at them, but he didn't care. He was too busy looking down into Mai's loving eyes. He didn't know how he could be so lucky as to have met her. His life had certainly become more interesting, though he refrained from voicing that. She still felt guilty for the night he had spent in jail. When she noticed his black eye that he had covered up the best he could for the trial, he couldn't find it in himself to lie to her. Her eyes had demanded the truth.

"I guess you have to go to class now," Mai sighed.

"Mm," Trunks grunted unenthusiastically before grinning. "Yeah. But I'll see you in math class."

Mai's expression matched his as she nodded and pushed herself off the wall. She had expected Trunks to release her hand, but his grip only tightened. "Trunks, wha-?"

Unexpectedly, Trunks pulled Mai to him to give her a quick, fleeting kiss before he let go and started heading in the direction of his class. The girl blushed, biting her lip as her hand touched her lips, but found the whole incident humorous and giddily grinned. Trunks was acting too cute, especially when he cast her one last glance over his shoulder, a red tint on his cheeks as he smiled and ran off. She shook her head and entered her classroom for homeroom.

Of course, Paigen witnessed the whole display and nearly gagged. The girl was disgusted with how lovey-dovey those two were being. It hadn't been long since the trial, about four days, and they were acting like nothing was wrong in the world. Optimism was a sickening quality that made people like that act completely idiotic. Well, she wasn't going to stand for watching that sickening display again.

Just around the corner, though, she was faced with a similar sight. Goten and Valese were talking in the middle of the hall about how brave Goten was for going to defend his friend. The palm tree-haired teen laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head in discomfort. "It really wasn't a big deal," he stated. "Trunks is my friend. He would have done the same for me."

"The two of you just love to use that line, don't you?" Valese teased lightly, taking his hand in hers. "Still, I know it was stressful, and I'm proud of you for doing it. You're a very strong man."

"Val," Goten whined in embarrassment. His friend just laughed. "Um…so…are we still on for later today?"

Valese looked confused for a moment. "What's today?" she questioned.

"Ah," Goten breathed out before looking away. "Uh, I meant to ask you before this all started, but I must have forgotten with everything that happened. I…I meant to ask you out. Like, on a date? Maybe? I-If you want to…"

The brunette's expression was instantly full of glee. "Goten, I'd…I'd really like that," she admitted. "Just text me what time when you think of it so that I can let my dad know, okay?"

"Sure," Goten agreed smiling warmly at the girl. "Uh, I'll catch you later then. I'll…see you lunch."

Valese saluted Goten before she laughed and waved him off. He watched her retreating form unaware that Paigen was approaching him. "You'd better cancel that date," the redhead threatened.

Goten jumped in his skin feeling the hairs on the back of his neck sticking up before his lips curled into a sneer and he growled. "What do you want?" he demanded.

"I just told you," Paigen said, grinning maliciously. "Cancel the date. Today, you're coming over to my house."

"And why in the world would I do that?" Goten challenged. "You have absolutely no power over me, now. I have no intention of doing anything with you. Never again."

Goten started to walk away feeling great at the thought of him standing up to himself to Paigen. There was nothing she could do, anyway. He wouldn't let that bitch walk all over him again. "Then I guess you don't care about the whole student body knowing about your 'disease.'" Shit…that caught his attention. Goten paused in his stride. "Actually, I can play on that now, I think."

Goten scoffed in irritation and disbelief. "So? I knew people would find out after the case. I'm prepared to deal with that. There's nothing you can do, bitch, so leave me alone and get a fucking life." He knew he was calm, and there was nothing Paigen could do to change that, he hoped.

Paigen was seemingly undeterred, the wicked smile never leaving her face. "If I don't hear from you by the end of the day," she warned, "then I'm going to the police and I'm going to claim that the day Trunks went into the locker room, he raped her." Goten's fists clenched, and she was certain he was probably gritting his teeth. His body was shaking with rage. Good. He listened.

"They would never believe you," Goten argued, though the thought of Trunks having to go through more trial bullshit was enough to make his stomach sink. "There's already a story, and everyone knows it was because Trunks was trying to _help_ Mai."

"Yes, well," Paigen stated, "he's already gone to trial for abuse, and I can say that I never gave them the full story. I can say that I was actually in there when it happened and that the reason I didn't say anything was because Trunks raped me before too. Since it's a 'new crime,' they'd have to do a whole other investigation."

"Stop," Goten warned. "Don't fucking do this or you'll regret it."

"Oh," Paigen laughed. "Well, I'm not going to do it, silly. As long as you agree to cancel your date and meet with me instead, I'm willing to leave Trunks and Mai to their nauseating happiness."

Goten was seething. No, he couldn't let Trunks go through all that again. He couldn't let Mai go through it again, either. The two of them had been through enough. The school year had barely started and they had already been through hell. He'd be damned if he let Paigen get away with doing this again, but he really didn't want to hurt Valese. This wasn't _fucking fair!_ Growling in frustration, Goten pulled out his phone and messaged Valese. **Hey, sorry…I forgot I had to study after school today. All my days are messed up.**

Valese responded almost instantly with a laughing emoji and told him that that was fine and that they could go out another day. At least that was taken care of. He didn't plan on fucking up one of the few good things in his life for Paigen. All he was going to do was spend time with her at her house. "I cancelled my date," he told her. "I'll come over to your damn house, but I'm not going to stay long." She pouted when he said this. "Take it or leave it."

"Fine," Paigen accepted crossly. Then, she smirked at him. "An hour is _plenty_ of time. I would say to leave the attitude behind here, but this anger looks so damn good on you. Very…hot." She emphasized that three letter word and Goten instantly felt sick to his stomach. "I'll see you later, Goten."

"Fuck off," the heated teen returned. Paigen ran off, and Goten was left feeling furious with himself for letting her get to him once again. This time, though, he wouldn't go to anyone with it. It was his problem, and he honestly felt like he could handle Paigen. There was nothing she could _really_ do to him. He just needed to endure her for an hour. He didn't need to bother Trunks with this. His friend was finally happy. _One hour,_ he thought to himself. _What could she possibly do in an hour?_

* * *

At Ouji Corp., Paragus was pretty irritated that Vegeta had demanded to see him. He thought about ignoring the disgruntled CEO, but he had finally gotten all the information he needed to expose Bulma for the snake she was. There was no doubt in his mind that Vegeta was furious with him for what he had done with Trunks's timecard. He was certain Bulma told him. Well, if he was going down, then he was going to take that witch down with him.

When he entered Vegeta's office, Bulma was with him, sitting in a chair beside Vegeta behind his desk. Vegeta did not look pleased in the slightest. In fact, Paragus felt that if Vegeta had super powers, he would blow a hole through him just with the intensity of his eyes. "I'm sure you know why you're here," the CEO stated, his hands folded together. "What you have done goes beyond the pale. You know that, don't you?" Paragus didn't answer, and Vegeta sneered. "Not only have you committed a crime by _lying_ about what happened with my assistant, but you have spat on this company. Do you not understand how bad you made this company look? And did you think I would look the other way on your scheming? I've known you wanted this company for yourself, but to have it verbally confirmed…"

Paragus smirked. "It's just business, Vegeta. It's an eat or be eaten world. As for making the company look bad, you've been doing that yourself ever since you took over. You know nothing about running this company."

"Really?" Vegeta replied nonchalantly, crossing his arms. "The board seems to disagree. However, they do agree with one thing. Paragus, you're fired. Pack your shit and get the fuck out of _my_ company."

Eyes wide, Paragus was in disbelief. He couldn't have heard correctly, and there was no way the board agreed with Vegeta. No, someone else entirely was responsible, and his eyes fell on her. "You. This is your fault."

"It's not," Bulma argued, brows furrowing.

"Despite what you did," Vegeta started, "Bulma was the _only_ person who wanted you to keep your job, and I'm assuming it's because of her friendship with your son. For going after her son, you should be honored she'd try to get us to forgive you. This just goes to show you the severity of what you did. No other punishment is just."

"This woman has been lying to you from the start," Paragus argued. "Therefore, none of your opinions matter. She's snowed you all, playing the innocent victim. She's really been hiding a lot about herself."

"You don't know anything," Vegeta scoffed looking over to Bulma. She looked perplexed, probably wondering what the heck Paragus found out about her. "But, seeing as we're both a bit curious to see what information you've found, why not enlighten us?"

Paragus snickered. "You might regret that remark," he warned. "But I was going to tell you, anyway. Anything to break up your sickening alliance. I bet this lying gold digger didn't tell you that she was the illegitimate daughter of the late Dr. Trunks Briefs, God rest his soul." He looked over to the shocked Bulma. "He'd be ashamed to have a tramp of a daughter like you."

Bulma tried not to react. She really did, but those hateful words and the reminder of what Trunks had called her before he passed away still haunted her. How could someone be so cruel as to look back into her past like that, not to mention accuse her of being a gold digger? Did everyone think she was all about money? It made her feel sick that Paragus called her what Trunks had but as a way to highlight her "money hunger." She closed her eyes and tried to take a deep breath, but it just left her feeling dizzy.

"Un-fucking-believable," Vegeta huffed. Paragus took his words the wrong way and smirked until Vegeta's fury was on him. "How _dare_ you? I already knew that. Bulma told me a while back, and I know _way_ more than you do on that topic. I know you were investigating Bulma, but I have to ask how you got any information on her. Clearly, it was illegal. That is why the board and I decided to drop you. You've illegally obtained information on one of our employees, illegally disposed of Trunks's timecard, lied to the police… You've even conspired against Bulma and me. To what end?"

"That's not all I have on her," Paragus fought. "She used her bastard son to get pity to be hired for her last job, and her former employee didn't have anything good to say about her."

"I told you never to call my son that again!" Bulma shouted at the man. "And that kid didn't know how to run the company. That's why I left. He attacked my son, too. Look, Trunks is _my_ son, no matter what you people think. He's not…he's not that word. I chose to have him. He's mine. You tried to fuck with his life! The only reason I even fought for you to keep your job was, like Vegeta said, because of your son. I can't stand you, but I hate this constant fighting. I've fought my whole life and I'm done."

"Just get out," Vegeta stated evenly, instantly grabbing Bulma's hand and squeezing it to reassure her. "You are no longer welcome here. You have an hour to clear out your belongings and then you're done. I'll be sending security to escort you out by then."

"Don't bother," Paragus spat. "I'll be out. You just better watch yourself, Kurobushi. You don't want me as an enemy."

Paragus was out of the office in a blink of an eye, though the slam of the door when it opened and the banging as he opened the door to the stairwell added an obnoxiously dramatic flair. Bulma released a deep sighed and leaned her head on Vegeta's shoulder. Vegeta pressed his nose to her temple kissing her cheek as a form of comfort. "They're just words, Bulma. They don't mean anything."

"I know," she admitted. "It's just…it's so hard. You see, Paragus reminds me a lot of my father. He was cruel and deceitful. He twisted words and then insulted you whenever you called him out on his shit, and to hear him say the same things, to call me a gold digger…it just makes me wonder. Did my father think I was only interested in his money _because_ I was his 'illegitimate daughter?'"

"It doesn't matter what he thought," Vegeta remarked, moving his nose to gently trace along her neck. "His words were empty and, where they hurt like hell, they meant absolutely nothing. You're an amazing woman, and you paved your own way by yourself."

Bulma smiled faintly. "Not by myself," she corrected. "I had my mom, my brother, and my friends and then I had my son, and now I have you."

"Right," he murmured against her skin. "You have me, and Paragus's little info stealing isn't going to change that. Even if you hadn't told me everything, I would not have faulted you. You explained to me about Trunks from the beginning, and that did not change my opinion. And I always understood about your father. When you told me, I was surprised, but it made sense. You never lied, Bulma. As for what Paragus said, he didn't know your father. I didn't even know the man. We only know what we heard in the media. You…you knew him. You were his daughter, and he hurt you. But you were able to move passed that and forgive him, something I could never do. Paragus is just an asshole. Your father _is_ proud of you, not ashamed. You are a better person than he probably ever dreamed you could be."

Tears pricked at Bulma's eyes, and the woman laughed lightly. "You always know what to say," she murmured moving to capture his lips. Vegeta kissed her back giving in slowly. He was glad to have made Bulma feel a little bit better. He wouldn't let an asshole like Paragus get to her. She was much too good for that.

He was reluctant to release her when she pulled away, but he did when he saw her moving to wipe away her tears. "You okay?" he questioned.

Bulma answered with a nod. "I am. That was just a little overwhelming. I think I'm going to head back to my office and try to focus on something else."

"Sounds like a plan," Vegeta agreed. "I'll see you for lunch. And Bulma?" She paused in his doorway, but didn't look back. "Don't give that bastard a second thought. None of his words hold any weight in our lives."

"Yeah," Bulma concurred. "Thank you, Vegeta."

Bulma headed back to her office, trying to focus more on the feelings Vegeta made her feel rather than Paragus. His opinion meant less than nothing to any of them, so she shouldn't feel this overwhelmed. She figured it was just from reliving that bad memories with her father. That always left her feeling emotional. She really hoped that would go away one day. To be honest, she was reacting less and less to things. Sure, sometimes it caught her off-guard, but normally she'd be sobbing right now. Having Vegeta by her side, offering his comfort and support, helped her more than she ever thought it would. Having someone stand up for her like that besides her mother was also highly encouraging.

She got settled at her desk and opened her laptop to get to work. Firing Paragus hadn't really been scheduled in her day. Vegeta had just wanted her to be there, probably because he was worried that he'd strangle Paragus with her not there. She chuckled at the thought. It amazed her how much they could pacify the other.

As she typed, her cell rang, and Bulma didn't recognize the number. It was strange, but she figured she might as well answer it. If it was a solicitor or automated thing, she could always hang up. "Hello?"

" _Hey, Bulma."_

Bulma's mouth dropped open at the casual, happy greeting that met her. "Yamcha?" she questioned. She hadn't heard from him in over a decade and never expected to hear from him again. It didn't bother her. They had parted on amicable terms. It's just that he never contacted her again, and all her focus had gone into raising Trunks. He had only been an afterthought that she and Goku would joke around about from time to time, but he wasn't a bad guy. She smiled. "It's been a long time. I didn't think you'd still have my number."

Yamcha chuckled into the receiver. _"Yeah, well, mine's changed a couple times, but I always made sure to keep your number. I just…didn't know if you'd want to talk to me."_

"Why wouldn't I want to talk to you?" Bulma asked as she continued to work, leaning against her shoulder to support her phone. "It's not like we ended badly. We just wanted different things. I figured you didn't want to talk to me. I mean, I did say we could still be friends."

" _Yeah, you're right,"_ he stated. _"I was the stupid one. Sorry…"_

Bulma laughed. That was so like him, to be completely oblivious to the fact that she actually meant what she said. "It's okay. So, to what do I owe this phone call?"

" _Well, I don't know if you're busy,"_ he started before saying. _"Wait, of course you are. You're a mom. I just mean, if you're free, would you like to grab lunch sometime and catch up? You know, as friends."_

"As smooth as always," she teased. "Sure, that sounds good." As soon as she agreed, she wondered if it was a good idea. Sure, it was just a friendly lunch to catch up on what the two of them had been doing in the last fifteen years. The words had already left her mouth, though, and she wouldn't hurt him like that. Besides, she was in a committed relationship, and she planned to tell him all about it. Maybe it was the confusion and emotional distress she had felt after dealing with Paragus, but it seemed like an okay idea. They had parted; however, they never really had their closure. Maybe this was what they both needed. Plus, she hoped that he had been as lucky as she was. "I'll let you know when. Like you said, my schedule is pretty hectic."

" _That's fine,"_ Yamcha replied. _"We'll base it off you, then."_

"Alright," Bulma agreed. "Anyway, I need to get back to work. Talk to you soon."

Bulma reached up to take her phone and hung it up, placing it back on her desk. Well, that would be nice, she figured. It was always good to catch up with old friend. Sure, this was a tad bit different, and she and Yamcha had dated, but she had no lingering feelings for him other than friendship. She was certain he felt the same way about her. It _had_ been fifteen years.

Well, Vegeta did have that board meeting during lunch sometime next week, so that would be the best and only time for her. She didn't like giving up lunch with Vegeta. The last couple of days, he had altered his schedule to join her and Broly for lunch. Bulma was really happy that Vegeta held no ill feelings towards Paragus's son. He really hadn't done anything. Vegeta probably felt the same way she did. Children, even as adults, were not their parents. She wasn't and he certainly wasn't, and so he could assume that Broly wasn't Paragus. It was great to see Vegeta getting along with all of her friends, especially when he didn't have very many. She hoped that would change as time went on.

Bulma's mind finally quieted as she continued to work on the research for the project she hoped to share with Vegeta. To be honest, she was skeptical about it, but the theoretical math worked. What she was studying was similar to the technology used on spacecrafts. With renewed interest in space exploration, it was possible that new ideas and technology would be highly welcome. She was looking into gravity technology to create a room unit for astronauts to use for training. She didn't really know if there was interest in such a unit, but that's why she was taking all her time to do the research. Once she did, she would present the idea to Vegeta and see if he found merit in it. As of right now, it was all just theoretical, and simply a project she did in her spare time.

* * *

Paragus was seething by the time he left his office. Security had been nearby, but he had already been out. _Good luck finding me,_ he scathingly thought as he made his way to the elevator.

This shouldn't have happened, he told himself. All of this was happening because of a brat CEO who had come out of the woodwork, a witch who hand ensnared all these men with her wiles, and his son who had fallen victim to the woman. He sneered. That last one hurt.

He needed to talk to Broly. He needed to understand what that witch had done to convince him to go against his own father. The behavior was unacceptable, especially after Paragus had risked everything to help him through his mental breakdown. He had made so many sacrifices for him, and this was how he was rewarded. There had to be some explanation, and it had the blue-haired woman's essence all over it.

Broly was stunned by the sudden appearance of his father in his office. He hadn't expected to see him. Vegeta had warned him that his father was to be fired that day and was supposed to leave the building soon after. The son deadpanned and shook his head. "Should have known you'd come to get one last dig in."

"No dig," Paragus refuted. "I just want to understand what that bitch did to you to make you betray me."

The look of appalled disgust appeared on his son's face before his eyes narrowed. "Bulma did not do anything to me," he told the man. "All she has ever done was listen. And I didn't betray you. I only did what I thought was right. Father, you've been acting different ever since mother passed away. You've always protected me, but at the same time you haven't exactly been on the straight and narrow."

"If I had been on the straight and narrow, I wouldn't have been able to get you out of trouble."

Broly sighed as he thought about his horrible past. He was young when his mother passed away, not even a teenager, and it was the most horrifying thing he had ever experienced. For the longest time, he was traumatized and hardly spoke to anyone. One day, though, after he had gotten into a fight, he had heard a feminine voice, and he assumed it to be his mother consoling and soothing him. He allowed himself to feel that comfort, but he didn't tell his father about it.

The voice was always so clear until one day, when he hit teenage years, it wasn't just one voice. The voice of his "mother" faded away and yielded to a masculine voice that was always pressuring him and ridiculing him. He didn't speak much, and when he did he didn't speak well, not until after he was hospitalized. The voice degraded him and made him feel worthless. At time, Broly found himself begging for his "mother" to return to him.

This new voice followed him around, and Broly couldn't take it. He would get such horrible headaches. He'd grip his head in public while telling the voices to stop. People would stop and look at him like he was crazy, and the voice told him so. Broly didn't want to admit that he might be. It turned out he definitely was.

He kept his problems secret from his father and continued to go to school. There weren't many people he spoke to during the day. His grades were nothing. He was nothing. Then, this girl entered his life. She was his locker neighbor and found it endearing how he spoke to himself. Of course, he didn't correct her. She didn't need to know that he was hearing voices.

The two of them had spent a great deal of time together. Her friends didn't like Broly. They saw him as this worthless man who would never amount to anything. He _hated_ them. The two started dating much to the chagrin of her friends. Broly had been happy, and for a while he didn't hear the voices, not as much anyway.

They were alone at his place one day, just watching movies when the masculine voice returned and was goading him to fight and attack. He had grabbed his head and cringed trying to force him away. His girlfriend had been concern and simply went over to him, gently touching him, and that had been an unanticipated mistake.

The second her fingers brushed him, his eyes snapped open and he saw red. He didn't see his girlfriend before him, but a mocking shadow. Broly remembered the action of launching himself off the couch and moving to strangle his shapeless opponent, but ended up smacking the figure in the throat hard. The laughter in his head increased no matter what he did and he was about to attack it again. Out of nowhere, the feminine voice had returned and simply shouted, "Stop!"

He pushed back from the shadow, and the room returned to normal, his girlfriend gripping her neck and coughing. Her eyes had looked so distrustful. He moved to go to comfort her, but she didn't want him near her. She left him alone with his own fear and confusion. His father came home and found him sobbing in the living room. That was when he finally confided in him what had been happening.

Days later, the weekend, officers appeared at his door, and Broly had answered. He had never had problems with officers before, so he asked what he could help them with. The arrested him immediately despite his father's protests. From there, his father worked day and night to get him out of prison.

It took a while for Paragus's lawyer to arrange a psyche evaluation. That was what Paragus presented to the parents of the girl. She actually came to visit him once, right after he had been horribly beaten and humiliated by an inmate. Though she pitied him, she still looked upon him with fear. She had explained to him that his father had offered her family a large sum of money to drop the charges and had explained his mental condition. She didn't want to understand what happened. She just wanted Broly to stay away from her. She never wanted to see him again, and he couldn't blame her, not in the slightest.

Once released, Broly was hospitalized for a while to find a medication that would help him as well as finishing his senior year of school in a no stress environment. His counselors worked with him to keep his anxiety down and handle the voices until the right medication was found. He was always thankful for those men and women. They looked out for him and didn't look at him like he was a monster. They understood.

They taught him to speak properly, something he had struggled with often. He finally found his voice, talking in normal volumes instead of humming or mumbling under his breath. Broly had started to feel like a real person.

His father had welcomed him home with open arms. In fact, the man had moved while Broly was still in the hospital. Paragus had always worked for Ouji Corp. and he felt it would just be better to be closer. Broly was done with school, so they no longer needed to live in that neighborhood. Besides, the people there judged him very strongly. He was grateful. He didn't want to go back there.

So they moved to the city. For a while, Broly had lived with his father, but he wasn't happy there. His father's tastes left the place feeling more like an industrialized clinic. It reminded him too much of the hospital being so barren and not very homey. There wasn't much he could do about it, then. He needed to live with his father for a couple of years to make sure he could handle living on his own one day.

His father set him up with a job at Ouji Corp., and Broly had been making enough to get a studio apartment. That's all he wanted, his own small, safe space. It was easy to afford to live on his own. He didn't watch television and he didn't go out to socialize. He liked the silence. He had his phone and limited internet, so that was fine, and he preferred to do quiet activities like solving puzzles or reading. The only voice he wanted to hear at home was his own, and no one else's.

"I know," he admitted. "I've always appreciated what you did. Bribery wasn't the best answer, but it got me out of that hellhole. You have done a lot for me, and I am thankful, but father…you were going to let Trunks suffer the same way I did and he didn't even hurt her. I was almost killed in prison, multiple times. I know you don't like Bulma, but did you really want her to have to grieve for her son for life like we had to grieve mother?"

"She would have left and would have had no other trouble from me," Paragus replied. "I would have stuck to my word."

"But she didn't deserve that," Broly stated. "Father, she's just doing her job. I know you hoped to run Ouji Corp. one day, but it was Mr. Ouji's company, and he decided to leave it to his son. He's a good man, father, if you'd just open your eyes to see it."

"Do you think he'd treat you the same as he is now if he knew you were schizophrenic?"

Broly's eyes widened as he felt the betrayal seep into his heart. He slowly turned to face his father. "You wouldn't. Father, that isn't fair."

Paragus was immediately offended. "How could you possibly think I'd do that to you?" he shouted. "Unlike you, I know what it means to be loyal. I just meant that you told Bulma. Do you honestly believe that she'd stay quiet about it?"

There was slight doubt, but only because Broly always fears something, just a little bit. He trusted Bulma and knew she wouldn't tell anyone. Like she said, he was medicated and it didn't affect his work. He still went to therapy. He was stable. "Bulma won't say anything. I trust her."

Paragus felt his mind reel with repulsion as his heart throbbed with disappointment. "Then don't ever talk to me again. I cannot believe I'd be cursed with such a wretched, worthless son who would spit upon me like this."

The man stormed out of his son's office, literally walking out of his life, and Broly just watched it happen. He was so bewildered, disbelieving that that encounter had just happened. How he wished that had been a hallucination, but it wasn't. He turned back to his desk and gripped his head sucking in a deep, shaky breath. He felt like his head was spinning, but as he continued to take breaths, the pressure went away. He was upset, and he had every right to be, but he calmed himself down and decided to just get back to work. That would help to relax him until he could get home and get some rest.

* * *

Mai and Trunks went home after school since his practice was cancelled. At first they messaged both his mother and Vegeta, but they were going to come home early so they just told them to go back to the apartment. That was good for them. They still felt the effects of the previous week, and rest and relaxation were welcome. With Zarbon in prison, there was nothing to fear. Even Pilaf had started coming around Mai more, taking both her and Trunks out to dinner Sunday night. It was a new life for everyone, though some were feeling the hit.

Trunks had decided to turn on the television to see what was on, but the news was on and the large words of "Cold Enterprises" stole their attention. Frieza came on and was speaking to the crowd. Trunks recognized the sickening voice of the CEO, but what he hadn't known was that Cold Enterprises is where Zarbon had worked until Mai stated, "That's Kuriza's father…"

"What?" Trunks gasped. "That jerk is related to Frieza Cold?"

Mai nodded and leaned against Trunks. "It looks like Frieza hired his new VP," she stated.

It was true. Frieza was discussing how he promoted one of his employees to take over Zarbon's position. He had abruptly fired Zarbon, when he heard about what happened. He explained that he had no idea what Zarbon was doing to his stepdaughter, and had been appalled, especially because his own son was her friend. Mai knew the truth and just glared at the screen. Trunks smoothed her hair back to calm her, but he also felt irritated.

Frieza announced the appointment of Tagoma, a newer employee that he trusted fully. The man had no criminal record and had been working there since he got out of college. He even came from a good family home. Could Frieza be any more obvious that he was trying to sell this guy to be honest?

When Frieza was questioned again about Zarbon, he was asked if he would have fired the man if he had known. Mai scoffed when Frieza said he absolutely would have, and that was when Trunks decided it was time to turn of the T.V. He tilted his head to look at her and saw that she looked a little unhappy. "Hey," he called out, gaining her attention. "Wanna play a game? I got that Project Diva 2nd game since you liked the first one. I figured we could play this one together."

A small smile graced Mai's features as she turned to face him. "That's actually kinda sweet," she told him. "Let's do it. I bet we'll have those songs unlocked by dinner."

Trunks smirked. "Sounds like a challenge. I'm in."

Up in his room, Trunks got the game set up. The two decided to take turns playing the songs, and if one failed, the other would try to pass the song. At first, it was easy, once they mastered the new rules, but as it continued, like in most of the games, it got much harder. In fact, it felt like the normal songs should be hard, and it was driving both teenagers crazy, but also amusing them. They gave up on their goal of finishing unlocking songs before dinner. There were so many more songs than the last game.

They did make it pretty far, but one of the songs was so fast paced that neither of them could pass it. They tried. Ten times, to be exact, before they threw themselves back on the floor and just started cracking up. Trunks looked over to Mai smiling and chuckling, but when he saw how laidback she looked with tears in her eyes from the laughter, his humor left him. She looked so beautiful, her long black hair slightly tousled. When she opened her eyes and looked to him, he was done for. Mai was about to ask him why he looked so intense, but Trunks just pounced on her, grabbing her close to him and kissing her. She kissed him back causing him to grin as he ran his hand through her hair.

At first, their kisses were fast and fun, but Trunks eventually slowed his pace and kissed her slowly, romantically. Mai sighed in contentment and tugged gently at Trunks's hair. The action surprised Trunks, and he gasped before the two pulled away. They both looked dazed and nervously chuckled as Trunks moved to help Mai up off the floor.

Trunks really didn't know what to say. They hadn't really decided where they were now, though they were both probably certain, or at least he was on where he wanted it to go. He really loved her, and he wanted to give her an actual life. She hadn't had one before. She had admitted to him once that she just felt present, like no one would miss her if she disappeared. That's probably what Zarbon had wanted. Now, though, Mai knew that she was loved and that she had a family. Maybe now it really would be okay to move forward.

"Mai," Trunks murmured, his hand still laced in her hair.

"Uh…yeah?"

Why did she have to be so endearing? It was making it harder for him to concentrate. "Uh…well, do you want to go get some ice cream or something?"

Mai's widened eyes met Trunks's hopeful ones before she grinned and nodded. It would be their first, official date. "I'd love to."

"Cool," Trunks breathed out.

The two of them left the apartment hand in hand.


	33. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Hello, everyone. I'm here with another installment…actually two. It's been a while since I posted two chapters together, though this time it was intentional. Other times, it was because I had many chapters written; however, this time it was because I knew this chapter was going to be quite intense, so I believed you all deserved another chapter to compensate for what you'll be put through this chapter. This will probably be the last major intense chapter for a little while, and I will explain why next chapter.

* * *

As another week of fall passed, Halloween was drawing nearer. Trunks and his mother had spent a lot of time buying new decorations in addition to the ones they already had. They planned to start decorating that weekend, just a few more days. The normally started much earlier, but everything had been so chaotic this month. Vegeta and Mai had no idea what they were in for, though.

Meanwhile, there wasn't much activity at school. Sure, there were some exams here and there, but everything else seemed to go by smoothly. Trunks and Mai were officially dating. Valese and Goten still hadn't made a date. In fact, Goten had been kind of quiet. At first it seemed normal. Goten wasn't always that talkative, but as the week progressed, it was becoming an unusual habit.

Though everything seemed normal, Goten was not. After two days of "I'm tired" or one words answers, his parents started to feel concerned. Goku tried to engage his son in conversation multiple times, asking him how he was feeling. Goten had repeatedly said he was fine, but when his parents tag teamed him he got angry and snapped at them both before storming off for school without his brother. Once that happened, Chi Chi called Goten's doctor to set up an appointment. She was worried that maybe something was going wrong with Goten's medication. She gave it to him every night, watched him take it, so she couldn't think of anything else other than it wasn't the right med. What she didn't know was that for the whole week, Goten had been pretending to take his medicine. If she had looked in his trashcan, she would have found seven pills all accounted for.

Goten hurriedly headed to school, not looking back once. He just wanted to get to school without anyone else bugging him about his mood. Everything was all wrong. He should have never agreed to go to Paigen's house the previous week. That led to her demanding he spend more time with her. And so he continued to dodge Valese's texts about their date. The guilt that he was seeing Paigen behind her back, what they were doing…it was killing him inside. He knew Valese would never look at him the same way again. Goten couldn't even look at himself in his own damn mirror.

"Hey, Goten, wait up!"

 _Shit…_ Goten mentally cursed. He should have predicted that his brother would catch up to him. It was possible he was just trying to catch up to walk together, but Goten was certain his parents sent him.

He didn't stop in his stride, ignoring his brother calling him. Somehow, though, Gohan ended up in front of him, his brows furrowed in concern. "You okay? I was calling you for like the last three blocks."

"Fine," Goten grunted, pushing passed his brother. "Did mom want you to catch up with me?"

"No?" Gohan replied, his voice full of question. "Why? Should she have?"

"Never mind," Goten answered, waving it off. "So, what's the rush? Why'd you need to catch up with me?"

Gohan immediately blushed. "Um, well," he stammered before smiling. "V-Videl wanted me to meet her early before class. She said she wanted to talk to me about something, so I was trying to get there fast and then I saw you walking so I figured I'd join you."

"Oh," Goten responded. Gohan frowned when he heard the hurt in his brother's voice. He chanced a glance at Goten and saw that he looked so lost in thought, his eyes reflecting fear and uncertainty. This bothered Gohan. His brother never looked like that before, well, not since right before his breakdown years earlier.

"Goten, is something bothering you?" he asked gently, Goten's head rising slightly but still looking dead ahead. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"There's nothing to tell," Goten said a bit too quickly. His expression and voice both softened after he sighed. "Look, Gohan, I'm fine. Just school is a bit overwhelming." It was a partial lie. School did get to Goten, but that wasn't what was destroying him now. "It doesn't come as easy for me as it does for you."

Gohan offered him a smile. "It's okay, Goten. Talk to me about it. Let me see if I can help."

At this, Goten's rage came back. "I _said_ there's _nothing_ to talk about," he stressed. "Just leave me alone. I'll see you later."

By this point, they were at the school and Videl had been waiting for Gohan outside. She saw Goten walk off and the distressed expression on Gohan's face. "What's up with him?" she asked warily.

But Gohan didn't have an answer. All he could say was, "I honestly have no idea."

* * *

Goten's family weren't the only ones that could see a change in the teenager. Trunks noticed it the second he met up with Goten as his locker. He could see his friend's desolate eyes. Goten was lost in thought, and that was never a good sign. "Hey, bro," he greeted casually, though there was a hint of concern in his voice. "What's up?"

"Nothing," Goten replied, his voice sounding angrier than Trunks had ever heard it. Goten pulled away from his locker to glance at his friend and noticed something different. "Where's Mai?"

"Oh, yeah, well…" Trunks murmured awkwardly. "She's talking with Miss Gure. After Zarbon went to prison, Juu kind of spoke with the school about the happenings of the case. We were walking by for me, but Miss Gure asked if she'd be willing to talk before school started. Mai really didn't want to, but when she brought up Juu, Mai kind of gave in and told me to just go about the morning."

"I see," Goten responded, his voice even. "Well, then we should probably get to class."

"Before Valese gets here?" Trunks asked, surprised. Goten never left his locker before Valese got there.

"I don't want to see her," Goten said abruptly.

Well, that was the wrong thing to say in that moment. Trunks's eyes widened as he looked past Goten. "Trunks, what are you-?"

Goten was never able to ask what stole Trunks's attention away, for Valese was standing right there looking incredibly hurt. The teenager's expression softened before he closed his eyes and turned to slam his locker door shut. "Goten, are you okay?" Valese questioned only serving to increase his guilt.

"For the last damn time, I'm fine!" he shouted in the hall earning the attention of other students. "I'd be better if everyone stopped fucking asking me that. Just leave me the hell alone, okay?"

"Goten…" Trunks said, his voice full of warning. "Come on, man. Let's talk. We can go to the gym."

"I don't want to talk to any of you," Goten growled. "Just leave me alone. I'm fine. I'm handling it."

"Handling what?" both of his friends asked. Of course, Goten stormed off, ignoring both of them. Valese looked scared and devastated. Trunks was just in shock. Goten had been doing so well for so long that Trunks hadn't expected this. Was the medication not working, or was Goten not taking it? He had no idea, but usually Goten talked to him about this stuff. He never shut him out like this. What was going on?

* * *

Later in math class, Goten still hadn't made his appearance. Trunks watched the door diligently before class hoping to see his friend. Mai was even worried. Trunks had filled her in on how Goten had been acting that morning. Something was wrong, and they both felt it.

When the bell rang, and Goten still hadn't shown up, Trunks raised his hand immediately, and the teacher called upon him. He got up to speak to her and quietly explained to her that Goten had been missing since the morning and he wanted to go look for him. No one in class could hear what was said. They only saw their teacher nod, and then Trunks immediately fled the room closing the door loudly behind him.

Mai sighed, worried about Goten. The two of them weren't really that close, but Goten was Trunks's best friend and she loved Trunks. Besides, Goten had helped them a great deal when they were in court. He was a good guy, and she knew Valese, who was slowly becoming her best friend, loved him. She couldn't even imagine the pain her friend and Trunks were feeling. She was completely new to all of this.

"So did you really fuck him?"

Mai jumped when she heard the whisperings of Paigen's underling. "Yeah, and it was great," Paigen replied, her voice sounding dreamy and far off.

Another girl said, "But I thought he hated you. Why would Goten sleep with you?"

"Let's just say that I made him an offer he couldn't refuse," the redhead replied making Mai's stomach sour immensely. "And like I said, it was amazing. Angry sex really is the best kind."

Paigen was sick. Mai couldn't think of any other explanation. She couldn't believe that Paigen was talking about Goten so graphically, and now she understood why Goten was such a wreck. He had probably felt trapped, and he was lashing out at all the people who loved him just like she had when things with Zarbon had gotten too scary. There was no way she was going to listen to the girls' deplorable conversation, and so she asked to be excused. She didn't give a reason, but the teacher seemed to be more understanding towards her now and allowed it.

Outside in the hall, Mai took out her cell phone and called Trunks. He picked up right away. "Hey, have you found Goten yet?"

" _No,"_ Trunks reluctantly admitted. _"I've checked the entire school and no one has seen him."_

"Trunks…" Mai warily murmured. "There's no easy way to say this, but I know why Goten has been acting out."

" _What do you mean?"_

Mai sucked in a deep breath and let it out before she said, "I heard Paigen talking about it in class. She blackmailed him again…into sleeping with her."

" _No,"_ Trunks whispered in disbelief. _"Shit. Mai, contact Valese and Videl. I'll go grab Gohan. We need to find him."_

"Okay," Mai agreed. "I'll get them. Don't worry, Trunks. We'll find him."

The teenagers hung up their respective phones and raced to gather the rest of their friends. They were going to find Goten if it was the last thing they did, and they would make sure he was safe and reassured that they all loved him not matter what had happened. That was the hope, anyway.

* * *

Bulma had gone on her break and headed to this nice Italian restaurant to which Yamcha had invited her. She wondered why he picked a place so fancy for them to catch up, but shrugged it off. She was actually kind of excited to see her long-haired friend. When she saw him, though, she was stunned. He looked a lot different and his hair was much short. She hardly even recognized him, but she smiled as he walked over to her and gave her a friendly hug.

"Hey, B," he greeted kindly. "Have you been waiting long?"

"Nah," Bulma replied. "I just got here. I don't work far from here."

"That's great!" Yamcha exclaimed before he tempered himself down. "So, you hungry?"

"Absolutely," Bulma answered. "Shall we?"

The waiter sat the two down and gave them some water and bread. The two told stories, catching up. Bulma had learned that Yamcha started playing baseball sometime after their breakup. She always remembered that it was his dream to play. Likewise, he listened to all her stories about her son. Her eyes lit up so bright when she talked about Trunks. Yamcha had been surprised by the name, but he kept it to himself. He honestly didn't want to bring up her father knowing it would set her off. That always set her off when they were going out.

"Anyway," Bulma sighed happily before smiling at him, "have you found anyone to settle down with yet? I always hoped you would."

"You did?" Yamcha questioned, taken aback.

Bulma frowned, feeling slighted that Yamcha may have thought she would have thought differently. "Of course, Yam. I told you, we ended amicably. I had my son, and that was all I wanted and needed. I hoped since it had been fifteen years that you would have found someone special to share all of this with."

"Yeah, about that…" Yamcha began slowly. "Bulma, I have dated over the years, but nothing never really amounted to anything. I kept going for people who reminded me of you. It's always been you, B, and I was really stupid to let you go. I had another agenda for asking you out today. Bulma, please come back to me. I promise to do better this time."

Bulma's blue eyes widened. That was the furthest thing she was expecting to hear from him, and now she felt guilty. The waiter returned to take their orders, but Bulma sent the man away before Yamcha could speak. She didn't want to stay much longer, anyway. The waiter left, and Bulma sighed looking her ex in the eye. "Yamcha, I can't," she told him. "There's many reasons, first and foremost that we both wanted different things out of life. Secondly, we never really connected on an emotional level, and I will admit that it was mostly my fault. I'm still healing, but I've gotten so much better. I can't even begin to tell you everything. But above all, I can't be with you. I'm not in love with you. I'm…in love with someone else." She saw Yamcha's face fall and did feel horrible breaking his heart, but it was true. She loved Vegeta, and she couldn't see herself with anyone but him. "It can't work, Yamcha, and I'm sorry about that, but I moved on. You have to as well."

"But B, I-"

"Yammy?"

Both Bulma and Yamcha cringed when they heard this overly chipper voice ring out. Bulma glanced at the side of the table and grimaced when she saw who she thought it was. "Maron, what the heck are you doing here?"

Yamcha was stunned and looked at Bulma alarmed. "You two know each other?" he nearly exclaimed.

Bulma's eyes narrowed at the girl. "She was going to marry my brother and then cheated on him at their apartment."

"Oh get over it," Maron scoffed. "Tarble was sweet, but I needed someone who was rougher, if you know what I mean."

"And appetite lost," Bulma grumbled, pushing away her bread. "I don't need to hear anything about you and my brother or anyone else for that matter. You disgust me."

Maron looked very angry at that statement. "Well, if you're so disgusted by me, then why are you having lunch with the man I cheated on him with?"

All sound disappeared in that moment from Bulma's consciousness as she looked to Yamcha in complete horror. She shook her head slowly at him and then stood up in attempts to escape. Yamcha stopped her, grabbing her wrist a little forcefully. Sound returned to her senses as she tried to pull away. "Let go," she demanded. "We're done here."

"Bulma, I didn't know," Yamcha admitted honestly. "I seriously didn't. Maron had come onto me at a club after a game. She didn't tell me she was engaged. I'm so sorry."

"Just leave me alone," Bulma demanded. "This just happened months ago, and now you contact me and try to get back with me? You didn't see Tarble and how he was after that. He saw you guys in their bed screwing and just left. I even asked him if he recognized the person, but he said he hadn't, that he didn't even get a good look at you because he ran out of there. I…I can't even look at you the same way anymore. Do you know how disgusting that woman is?"

"Yes," Yamcha stated. "And that's why I broke it off with her. B, I was caught up in how she looked. She looked like you."

"Ugh, shut up, please," Bulma begged. "I don't want to hear about it. Now I just keep picturing it based on what Tarble told me. I just…I need to go now."

"Wait!" Yamcha called out. "Please, just eat lunch with me and I promise I'll leave you alone after this. Just, let me try to clear this up."

"No," Bulma rejected firmly. "Yamcha, I just can't right now. It was different when I thought you had moved on, but this? What made you decide to call me after fifteen years to tell me you wanted to be with me when just a couple of months ago you were screwing my brother's fiancé?"

Yamcha didn't dare tell her the truth. He knew it would only upset her. Truthfully, he hadn't given Bulma much thought. He just kept seeing girls. When he saw her, though, with that guy, he became jealous and started reevaluating his relationships. Only because of that had he figured out what he had been doing. He never realized he had been doing that before he saw Bulma with another man. "I found a picture of you in my apartment and realized how much I missed you."

Bulma didn't believe him. Something inside her told her he was lying. She knew him well, and he wasn't one to get sentimental over a picture. She shook her head. "Yamcha, I can't. It was one thing when you wanted us to be friends, but I can't be more than that. I need some space about the whole Maron thing, but I'll get over that. I can't get over you wanting something more."

"You've changed," Yamcha stated, disbelieving. "That's the only explanation."

"No, Yamcha," Bulma responded, "I'm the same as I was. A little different, because I've gotten so much better dealing with my emotions. But I am the same. All this tells me is that you never really truly knew me. Please, just go."

"I'm not leaving," Yamcha argued. "Not until we fix this."

"There's nothing to fix," Bulma reiterated. "This is how it's always been, but we never saw it. Yamcha, you're a good person. I believe you when you say that you didn't know about Maron and my brother. Like I said, I'll get over it. But the two of us…we just don't work. It was both of our faults and that's the case. I hoped you had moved on like I had so that we could catch up and have closure. So please just let me go."

Yamcha's hand fell, releasing her. He looked completely saddened by her statement, but he couldn't refute it. He knew this was going nowhere. Bulma was stubborn. That was something he remembered well. She rarely ever backed down when it was something she truly believed. She wasn't meant to be with him. In her mind, she was meant to be with that other guy. He didn't like it, but he would support it. "Whoever he is, he better appreciate you," Yamcha said, forcing a smile. "Hopefully he's not an idiot like me."

Bulma smiled slightly. "Hopefully you'll find the one you're meant to be with. Just…don't let it be Maron."

Yamcha chuckled at that. "Yeah, it's not. Trust me." Then he grew serious and sighed. "Goodbye, Bulma."

Yamcha walked passed her, leaving the restaurant. She kind of felt bad for the waiter seeing as he hadn't yet taken their order. Bulma put a few dollars down for the inconvenience and then turned to leave seeing Vegeta in front of her. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Vegeta? What are you doing here?"

Her boyfriend nodded over to the table he had been at. "Meeting. What was that about?"

Bulma looked away. She probably should have told Vegeta she was meeting an ex, and she hoped he wouldn't be angry with her for not saying anything. "I…I didn't think much of it, but that was my ex, Yamcha. He said he wanted to catch up. But I really had no idea he'd take me here or ask to get back together. I said no. I just…I'm sorry I didn't tell y-"

Vegeta interrupted the woman with a kiss to calm her down. Bulma jumped, not having expected it, but she relaxed as his hands snaked to rest on her hips. When Vegeta pulled away, he was smirking. "You worry too much, woman," he told her. "I don't care that you had lunch with an ex. I trust you. Had I asked you what you were doing, you would have told me."

"True," Bulma agreed. "I just feel bad that I didn't think to tell you earlier."

"Again, you worry too much," he teased. "The meeting is over, if you want to get out of here. We can go somewhere else to eat."

"I'd like that," Bulma agreed, the two about to kiss at the moment Bulma's phone went off. "Really?" she huffed.

Vegeta chuckled and released her. "Just answer it and we can go."

Bulma grinned coyly at her lover as she reached in her purse for her phone. She grimaced when she saw Goku's number. He usually didn't call her during his shift. "Hello?"

" _Bulma, I need your help,"_ her friend pleaded, his voice sounding so loud and desperate that even Vegeta could hear him. _"Goten was acting off this morning and now the school called us saying he disappeared for the day. Bulma, he hasn't been taking his meds. Chi Chi found them in the trash this morning after we spoke to the psychiatrist."_

Bulma's calm expression fell as her eyes met Vegeta's guarded eyes. "Goku, it's going to be okay. I'll call Trunks to see if he heard anything. I'm with Vegeta. We'll help any way we can." Vegeta nodded to her in confirmation. "Keep us posted."

" _Bulma…what if something happens to him?"_

"Nothing is going to happen to him, Goku," Bulma attempted to placate her friend. "Just take a deep breath. We'll find him, okay? You have to believe that."

" _You're right,"_ Goku surrendered taking a deep breath. _"Now I know how you felt when you couldn't find Trunks."_

"And we'll find Goten just like we found Trunks," Bulma assured him. "I'm going to get Trunks on the phone now."

Bulma hung up on Goku and exchanged a nervous glance with Vegeta. She looked back over to the table where the board was still having lunch. Vegeta understood that she was concerned about work and Vegeta having to get back to it. "I'll take care of it. What should I tell Raditz?"

"The truth," Bulma stated. "I'll be outside. I need to see if Trunks has heard from Goten."

Vegeta nodded again and watched Bulma run off. He knew how serious this was and how scared everyone was. He hated to do that to Raditz, but he would need the man to take over a meeting with another company today while he went out with Bulma searching. He trusted Raditz to get the job done despite what was going on at the moment. Right now, he needed to make sure Bulma was okay. He still remembered how frantic she was when it was Trunks who was missing in action.

* * *

Meanwhile, Bulma was dialing her son's number mentally begging him to pick up. There was a click, and she gasped out her son's name.

Trunks and Mai had gone to the park hoping to find Goten, but they had not yet had any luck. Between their group of friends, they had searched all of Goten's normal go to places and had not yet seen him. His cell went off, and he desperately hoped it was Goten. He grabbed the phone only to hear his mother's desperate voice on the other side. He and Mai stopped running. "Mom? What are you calling for?"

" _Have you seen Goten?"_

Trunks sighed and shook his head. "Not since this morning. He was so angry mom. We all left school without permission…so you'll probably be called about that later. Sorry…"

His mother clearly wasn't angry. _"It's okay. I understand. I would have done the same thing. Do you have any idea what's going on?"_

Trunks hesitated and looked around before he nervously said, "That girl, Paigen, she threatened him again and…convinced him to sleep with her. It's really bad mom. He nearly got himself killed in the gym when that girl kissed him the last time. I need to find him. But wait…how did you know about him not being in school?"

Bulma sucked in a hesitant breath. _"Trunks…I don't think it's a good idea for me to say-"_

"Please, mom," Trunks begged. "I need to know what's going on with my friend."

" _Trunks…"_ his mother warily said. _"Goten hasn't been taking his medication."_

That only made Trunks panic more.

Immediately, Trunks hung up on his mother and attempted to call his best friend. He tried so many times already, being sent to voicemail each try. Trunks didn't care. He would haunt Goten until he answered his phone. He needed to talk to him, to reassure him that no one cared about Paigen and that he needed to come home.

On his tenth attempt, Goten finally picked up the phone and Trunks breathed out a heavy sigh of relief. "Hey, man. Where the heck are you?" Mai's eyes widened and she got closer to Trunks to hear what was being said as best as she could.

" _Trunks,"_ Goten's voice spoke sounding foreign, desolate, and empty. He was clearly upset. _"You shouldn't have called me."_

"Which time?" Trunks tried to joke which normally helped to calm his friend. "Seriously, Goten, where are you? We've all been searching for you like crazy."

" _You wouldn't be searching for me if you knew what I did…"_ his friend argued.

"Goten," Trunks breathed out. "I know. Mai overheard Paigen. But it's okay. No matter what, we're on your side. It's not your fault. We're just all worried about you. Me, Mai, your brother, Videl, and Valese all left school. Just tell us where you are. We can all talk this through."

" _There's nothing to talk about,"_ Goten snapped. _"Trunks, I'm disgusting. I'm so pathetically weak. I let that bitch take something from me I can't get back. It was wrong, and it was all because I couldn't man up and tell someone what she said she'd do."_

Trunks needed to keep him talking. The trail this conversation was taking a turn for the worse and was concerning Trunks immensely. "What did she say she'd do?" he asked softly, cautiously. His tone needed to be calm if he expected Goten to remain calm.

" _She was going to go to the police and say you raped Mai that day in the locker room,"_ Goten told Trunks. Trunks felt his stomach sink. He couldn't believe his friend was suffering like this because he was protecting him again. _"She said she was going to say the reason she didn't come out with it was because you raped her too. Trunks, I didn't want you to go through all that again. But I could have stopped it, and I could have not have slept with her. I could have left and told someone what she was trying to do. But I let her use me, and I hurt Valese. This is going to kill her. She'll be disgusted with me."_

"No, Goten," Trunks tried to assure him. "She won't think that. She doesn't. She loves you. We all do."

" _I'm nothing…"_

"You're everything to us," Trunks said desperately. "Please, Ten…just tell me where you are. You're really scaring m-"

" _You would all be better off without me."_

The line went dead, but Trunks still tried calling out for his friend. His soul felt true terror and dread. Goten's words made him feel so distraught. He was so far gone, and he could very well try something if they didn't find him soon. His friend always had these anxious feelings even on the medication. Trunks was truly fearful of what he'd do having not taken them for a while. "Mai, we have to hurry."

Mai understood and agreed, the two of them expanding their search to the entire city. He had to be somewhere. They needed to find him. Soon.

* * *

Chi Chi and Goku were searching the city by car, Goku at the wheel while his wife was calling their son's name out the window. Out of nowhere, Goku pulled over and slammed on the breaks causing Chi Chi to fly forward slightly. She looked to her husband in question, but Goku looked horrified as he looked out. His breathing was ragged and his eyes were staring dead ahead while one hand gripped his heart. She could tell her husband was struggling deeply with this and placed her hand on his to try to show him that she was there with him through his own anxiety attack. "It's okay, Goku. It's going to be okay."

Her voice was light and positive, but Goku couldn't believe her. He didn't have the right to believe what she was saying. "This is all my fault," he told her. "He's this way because of me."

"Goku, no," Chi Chi soothed, stroking his arm. "You couldn't have known."

"Oh, but I did know," Goku laughed bitterly. "I knew there was a chance any child of mine would get this stupid anxiety. I knew. This is why I didn't want to have kids. I shouldn't have changed my mind. You should have been with someone less broken."

"None of you are broken," Chi Chi told him, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I love you all, no matter what."

Goku wasn't listening to her. "Don't you see, Chi? If anything happens to him, it's because of me. This is why Bulma and I never worked out. She knew it, too, and she understood why I didn't want kids, but she did, and kids made me nervous too. I just…I can't even think straight. I mess everything up."

"Goku, listen to me," Chi Chi demanded. "Bulma never blamed you for this, right?"

"No," Goku admitted. "She supported me. She even said if I ever changed my mind, she'd be my child's supportive aunt. But she knew I'd blame myself and she didn't want that for me. I've told her I'm handling it well, but I've been lying. It kills me watching our sons suffer because of my conditions."

"Hey," Chi Chi chided. "Gohan isn't suffering. He's learning to deal with his social anxiety. As for Goten, he was being stubborn. For some reason, he was afraid to come to us. We need to find out why so that we can prevent this from happening in the future. We'll get him back on his meds, and he'll be okay."

"I was so happy," Goku told her, "when he started feeling better on the new meds. I had really hoped we found it. But now…I don't know what to do. I don't want to lose my son. I'm so damn terrified."

"I am too, but we won't lose him," Chi Chi said forcefully, stroking her husband's face. Goku closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. "Our baby boy is going to be okay. We'll get him through this. He's strong, just like his father."

Goku smiled a bit, his eyes shining as light was reflected in his misty orbs. In that moment, Goku's phone rang, and he immediately reached for it hearing Goten's ringtone. He was mentally preparing for the worst, that it wasn't Goten on the other end of the call. "Goten?" he called hopefully.

For a moment, there was silence, and Goku felt his stomach lurch. Both parents, though, breathed out in relief when they heard an uncertain, _"Hey, dad…"_

"Thank God," Goku said into the line. "Goten, you've had us worried sick."

" _I'm…I'm sorry,"_ Goten replied nervously. _"I…I did something stupid, but…Valese found me. I'm with her now."_

Chi Chi and Goku exchanged thankful glances. "Where are you?" Goku asked, one of his hands gripping the steering wheel hard.

" _We're back at her house,"_ Goten explained. _"Her dad's at work right now. I just didn't want to see anyone. Can you just let everyone know I'm okay? They're all out looking…"_

"Sure, I can do that," Goku told his boy. "Son, I love you. We're going to come see you, okay?"

There was a pregnant pause which heightened Goku's anxiety. _"Sure… I-I…I love you too."_

With that, Goten hung up, but both parents felt immense relief. Both of them clutched each other, sobbing in relief, Goku smiling faintly and murmuring in his wife's ear that she had been right.

* * *

Bulma and Vegeta were frantically searching the shopping district for Goten. So far, to her knowledge, no one had heard from him. She and Vegeta had spilt up going around either side of the block before they rounded the corners and ended up face to face again with no luck. Once again, the phone went off, and Bulma hoped and prayed that it would be good news. "Goku?"

" _We know where he is,"_ her friend breathed out, his voice sounding raw with emotion. _"He's with Valese at her house. I…I need to call Gohan. Can you…?"_

"I'll tell Trunks," Bulma assured her friend. "Thank God he's okay."

" _No kidding,"_ Goku chuckled weakly before Bulma could hear her friend start crying again. Goku rarely ever cried, so anyone knew when he did that he was so overwhelmed. Bulma knew from experience. Nothing was more overwhelming than not knowing where your child was when they were upset. _"B-Bulma…"_

"Yeah?" she murmured softly.

" _Thank you."_

She smiled, tears filling her eyes. "Anytime. You know that."

Bulma quickly hung up the phone and clung to Vegeta for support. His hand moved to her back to steady her. She almost dropped to her knees out of sheer relief. Her boyfriend caught her and grabbed her cell phone, moving to dial Trunks's number. As it rang, he handed it to Bulma, still holding her up. The good news really needed to come from her.

* * *

Trunks had been horrified when he heard his mother's ringtone. To be honest, when he reached for his phone, he felt like he was having an out of body experience. "Yes?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly.

" _Goten is with Valese."_

Trunks released the breath he had been holding, Mai coming up from behind him and placing a hand on his back as he choked out a sob and half chuckle. "Th-That's a relief," Trunks said with and overwhelming thankfulness. "We…we'll head home. Thanks for telling us."

" _Of course,"_ Bulma assured her son. _"Just get home. We'll all talk at home."_

Trunks nodded, though his mother could not see that as he hung up the phone and tried to wipe away the tears that just kept coming. He snickered and looked to Mai with a sad, yet hopeful smile. "I'm surprised you haven't said something snarky like real men don't cry."

Mai offered a rueful smile. "Oh Trunks," she cooed. "Real men _do_ cry, especially after they spent the whole day worrying about the life of their brother."

That caused Trunks to cry harder as he gripped Mai tightly in his arms and hid himself against the crux of her neck. Mai softly smiled as she wrapped her fingers down his back. Though she couldn't stand seeing Trunks in the pain he was in the whole day, his behavior now showed her that he had let her in. Relief over Goten's life and relief for Trunks took over, and now she thought they should just go home. Goten was going to be safe, and that was all that mattered, but until they could see their friend, they needed to rest. So, Mai coaxed Trunks to release her so that they could return home. Besides, neither of them needed all of these passersby staring at them. People really should mind their own business…

* * *

Peace was all Goten felt lying in Valese's bed with her, the girl gently petting his head to keep him calm. He focused on his breathing so that he could keep himself calm. He peeked his eyes open and saw her smiling while hers remained closed, as if she was sleeping though he knew she wasn't. He still couldn't believe she had found him. When she had, well…he was far from being in a good place. He was an emotional wreck and, to be honest, she was too.

Goten had been up on a cliff sitting at the edge looking down when she found him. The spot where he was had been near this lake the two of them had found a while back. He remembered the day that the two of them had ridden their bikes and had gotten so incredibly lost. They two had gone there maybe once since. After leaving school, Goten had snuck back home and taken his bike.

Valese must have had some foresight, for she would have been the only one who could find him. She was wary when she approached him. Goten remembered the frightened tint to her eyes. He now regretted making her feel that way, making her cry like that. His breathing hitched slightly causing Valese's eyes to open. They landed on his and she smiled, her hand trailing from his head down to his taut shoulders. "Hey," she whispered softly.

"Hey," Goten replied. "You okay?"

"I should be asking you that," the girl replied, her brows furrowing in concern.

Well, she wasn't wrong. When she had found him, she approached him so slowly, probably afraid he'd jump. She crawled over to him, afraid that her presence would set him off, but Goten wouldn't have done that. Not with her right there. His eyes had met hers and he proceeded to apologize for what he had done. He called himself disgusting, but Valese rejected that statement flat. She assured Goten that she wasn't disgusted by him but by Paigen for putting him through such turmoil. He had asked her then how she couldn't hate him when he spit on everything they had. Valese told him that he hadn't. Paigen was the one responsible for all of this. Everyone knew how she was, including her, and she had already heard from Mai that Paigen had said something to Goten to get him to go along with her desires though she didn't know what yet.

She had told Goten that he was brave for protecting his friends and that it wasn't too late to report Paigen to the school. It didn't matter to her that Goten had slept with someone else, because she understood what he was putting himself through and she would not punish him further because he was already doing that. She did joke, though part of her statement was serious, that Goten should get checked out to make sure he didn't catch something from Paigen. It had actually made Goten chuckle despite how awful he felt.

Because of that, Valese had closed the distance between them, though she stayed a bit away from the edge hoping that Goten would come to her. He had turned to face her, begging her for forgiveness. After she told him that he didn't need to beg for something he had already received, he grabbed her and kissed her. Tears pricked at Goten's eyes as he thanked her between kisses. Valese pulled him closer to her, away from the cliff's edge, and she allowed him to crawl atop of her as they made out on the mountainside.

Goten hadn't realized that his eyes drifted closed as Valese continued to scratch his scalp. It was hard to keep his eyes open when he was so exhausted, and she was making him feel so much better while barely doing anything. It felt like he was being drugged, his mind hazy but completely relaxed. He never wanted her to stop her ministrations, though logically he knew she'd have to eventually. Right now, he just wanted to enjoy this feeling of pleasure and comfort. He hadn't felt like this in so long.

He opened his tired, lidded eyes to take in her form. Once again, her eyes were closed. She hadn't pushed him to talk about what he was feeling. There was no judgement coming from her. She still trusted him fully despite what he had done. He had basically cheated on her even though they hadn't become official. He was still so angry for letting it happen, but he knew the world would not end. In fact, he was going to listen to Valese and report Paigen for what she had threatened.

Valese felt his eyes on her and opened hers catching the palm tree-haired teen off-guard. Her smile never faltered as she asked, "What are you staring at?"

The playfulness in her tone made Goten blush as he looked away grumbling an embarrassed, "Whatever." It made the girl giggle as her hand moved to stroke his cheek. Goten's eyes closed as he leaned into her touch. Now that he was feeling a bit better, he felt he could actually talk about everything. First, though, he wanted to know something. "How did you find me?"

Valese was stunned by the question, clear by her dumbfounded expression before she looked away blushing. "Well…we're the only two who knew of that place," she explained, "but I also went there once when I found out about my parents. You see, I feel safe there, because it reminds me of you. Plus…" She became hesitant in what she was about to say, but she sucked in some air and exhaled trying to release her tension. "I…I knew it was high enough for you to…"

She didn't finish her statement, and she didn't need to. Goten knew what she meant. He sighed before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. "I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear. "I wish I could tell you that the thought didn't cross my mind, but I can't. I thought about it a few times, especially after I spoke to Trunks. I felt so worthless, Val."

Valese readjusted in his grip so that she was looking into his eyes. "You're priceless, Goten. No one compares to you." Just hearing that made Goten's heart race. "I know…I know that Paigen threatened our friends again. I may not know how, but it had to have been horrible for her to be able to convince you-"

"She was going to go to the cops and say that Trunks raped her and Mai," Goten interjected.

It had to be the first time he had ever seen Valese truly angry. Sure, he had seen her upset and annoyed, but she had this fire to her. She was completely appalled by Paigen and what she had done. She went on a small, ireful rant. Goten swallowed the lump in his throat. He hated to admit it to himself, but he couldn't help it. He chuckled ruefully and sat up, placing a hand on Valese's shoulder. She paused in her tirade and face him, her eyes still narrowed and her cheeks still a little red and heated. "Val, you've gotta calm down," he told her, grinning impishly. "I hate to say this, but that attitude is kind of turning me on…"

The two of them both laughed, but were blushing in total embarrassment. Valese hid herself against his chest shaking her head as she tried to calm her bashful self. Goten, too, felt awkward after saying it, but he knew it was all okay. The two of them were okay. Everything was going to be okay.

There was a knock on the front door which caused the two teenagers to pull away from each other. A weak laugh left Goten as he felt shame consume him again. "That must be my parents…"

Valese could hear Goten's voice crack and frowned. She knew he was feeling immensely guilty for making everyone worry, but she had told him he shouldn't feel that way. Everyone was just happy he was safe with a friend. "Hey," she cooed gently, once again caressing his cheek. "It's going to be okay. I'm here for you."

At that, Goten smiled slightly. "I know," he assured her.

The two of them got up and went downstairs to answer the door. The second Valese did so, Chi Chi launched herself inside and immediately squeezed the life out of her son knocking the wind from him. "Goten Son, don't you ever scare me like that again," she demanded. Goten looked behind her and saw his father smiling awkwardly while rubbing the back of his head. It was clear that he hadn't expected his wife to do that. Surprisingly, it didn't end there as his mother started sobbing on his shoulder. "I love you so much, Goten. Please, don't ever do that again."

Goten looked to his father for help, but found him wiping away some tears himself. His father never cried, ever, and he caused that. He started to feel the guilt once again. If his parents and Valese had been that devastated, then everyone was that worried including his brother and Trunks. It occurred to him again that he really hadn't thought about how his actions would affect everyone else.

"I'm so sorry," Goten breathed out pitifully. "I guess I really messed up, huh?"

"You didn't mess up, son," Goku spoke softly entering the house and closing the door, moving to embrace his son and wife. "This illness is really tough to manage. It took me years before I was on the right track."

Goten didn't believe him. "I bet you never stopped taking your meds or that you never let someone walk all over you."

"That'd be a losing bet, son," Goku replied sincerely. Goten was surprised. "I've told you bits and pieces, but there was a time where I stopped taking my medication and didn't tell anyone. Bulma, my mother, and a neighbor could see the difference. I think any time I spoke to Bulma, she asked if I was taking it and I couldn't lie to her. She gave me an earful about the importance. Then I got on a new medication and I felt great, but still couldn't see how everyone else could see right through me."

"Yeah, but still…you didn't let some dumb bitch use you like I did," Goten scoffed.

"Not exactly," Goku agreed, "but I know the feeling of letting someone walk all over me. I had this one job where I was so stressed by the pace and the people that I became spineless and hated myself for it. I feared these guys who worked there who had been in prison worried they'd pick a fight with me, and I didn't even want to go there. I was so overwhelmed that I met up with Bulma one night and told her about it. This was back when I couldn't stick with a job and I didn't want to quit or tell my mother what was going on."

"So what did you do?" Goten questioned. He was surprised. He never heard this story before, and now he wondered why.

Goku's brows furrowed. "Let's all go sit down, okay? We shouldn't have this discussion in the doorway."

"Oh!" Valese exclaimed. "Silly me, yes…let's all go to the living room then. Sorry about that."

"No trouble," Goku replied lightly, smiling at the girl. "Thank you."

So, everyone got settled in the living room, and everyone was looking to Goku to finish the story. He heaved a heavy sigh looking to the floor. "Back then, I felt like a failure because I couldn't get my license, I couldn't keep a job, and nothing was going right. When I told Bulma everything going on, I had told her things that made her fear for my life. She begged me to quit, but I didn't give her that peace of mind. It was late, and I had to go to work the next morning.

"She texted me that night telling me that she wanted me to talk to my mom because if I didn't, she would," Goku continued. "I did, and even your grandma thought I should quit. I knew Bulma was upset, but I didn't learn how much until years later when we talked about how far I'd come. See, she had encouraged me after I was stressed out by another job to pursue what I wanted, and I became a vet assistant. I loved it, and was so much happier. I felt accomplished. So, one night, when we were in our mid-twenties, I had a random breakdown, 'cause those still happen from time to time, and I asked if I had really changed and if life had really gotten better and said I wished I could go back to that time where I felt nothing but anger and hate. I don't even remember what I was mad about that night, to tell you the truth. But anyway, Bulma got really upset and called me up crying and nearly screaming saying she never wanted me to go back to that time because when she let me leave that night, she thought it would be the last time she'd ever see me or hug me. It was then I realized how much she suffered as well."

"What?" Chi Chi murmured. She had never heard this story at all. She met Goku when they were in their mid- to late-twenties. "When did this happen?"

"Shortly after Bulma's father passed away," Goku explained, his eyes soft. "She was terrified to lose everyone. Not the same night, but another, she told me she was afraid I'd do something I'd later regret and that she feared she wouldn't be able to help me through it and she'd lose me. I promised her then that if something ever did happen to me, it wouldn't be by my own hand and that I'd always go to her when I was stressed."

Chi Chi was amazed that all that had happened between the two, and now she felt a little badly for all the trouble she gave Bulma. She realized that the woman was just terrified of losing Goku in a similar fashion to what Chi Chi felt. But Bulma had experience that Chi Chi did not have and knew things that Chi Chi did not. She realized now why their friendship ran so deep, and she was actually thankful Goku had a friend who cared deeply about him that just wanted to help him.

"I didn't know all of that," Goten said, interrupting his mother's epiphany. "Was Aunt Bulma really mad at you?"

"No," Goku stated. "Just worried. She was rarely ever mad at me. She understood. Like I said, she had lived through it with me. She stuck by me from even back when I first went into the hospital. Came and visited me a lot, too."

"Do you think…" Goten started. "Do you think Trunks is mad at me? For making him worry?"

"Of course not," Goku reassured him. "Goten, Trunks is your best friend, and he's got Bulma for a mother. He's stuck by you like his mother stuck by me. He's just going to be relieved to see you. We're all just thankful that you are okay."

Goten knew his father was right, and he was finally able to relax a bit, though he still felt on edge. He sighed and started to explain what had happened to his parents. Neither looked happy, but he knew it was because of Paigen's actions towards him and Trunks and not because he had allowed himself to be degraded. In fact, when he told them that, his mother, who he had thought would give him the most grief over it, was beyond sympathetic and told him not to worry about it. She offered to make him an appointment to get checked out just in case, but she wanted to focus on getting him back on his medication first, or try something new if he didn't think it was working. Goten explained that the medicine had been working fine, but he had just stopped taking it. He still couldn't figure out why he had been stupid enough to do that. Goku expressed to his son that he wasn't stupid and that he had just been overwhelmed, but that they would all work together to get him back on track.

All of the support was making Goten feel so much better and lighter, and now that he was calmer, his stomach rumbled. His eyes were as wide as saucers as he blushed. He really hadn't eaten anything that day. Valese simply laughed at his expression and nuzzled against him making Goten grin. This did not escape Goku's or Chi Chi's notice. "I've got an idea," Goku stated. "Why don't we contact Gohan and Videl and meet up with them for dinner. They went back to our house after we told them where you were."

Goten grinned and nodded. "Yeah," he murmured. "That sounds good."

* * *

Trunks was immensely relieved when Goten texted him saying he was with his family and Valese and that he was doing much better. He had responded, but his message was definitely more forceful than he had intended it to be. His friend had just had him so worried. **I love you, bro, but if you ever put me through that again, I'm kicking your ass.**

Goten replied with a laughing face which made Trunks smile a bit. His friend said he wouldn't have it any other way and then asked if they could talk the next day and that he was planning on staying home for the day. To be honest, with everything going on this past week, Trunks felt like he needed more time to rest away from school. "Hey, mom," he called out. "Do you think I could stay home from school tomorrow? Goten's staying home, so I was hoping to go over there."

Bulma smiled and nodded. "Of course you can," she agreed easily. "I know today was a very stressful day for you. You two boys should just relax."

"I agree," Mai replied. "I can bring home your schoolwork."

"Speaking of," Vegeta interjected, "I know you were scheduled to come in tomorrow, but you don't have to."

"Are you sure?" Trunks questioned.

Vegeta grunted an affirmative. "I wouldn't have said it if I weren't. Don't worry about it."

"But, so much has been happening lately," Trunks stated. "I feel bad neglecting my work."

"Don't look at it that way," the man admonished. "Sometimes all of this crap happens all at once because life is trying to knock us down. It's the ones who make it to the other side that are the true survivors of the world. That being said, you've proven you can handle it, and you're still just a boy. You deserve to have some downtime with your friend."

Trunks grinned, which Vegeta felt highlighted his words that Trunks was still a child. He was amazed by how mirthful he looked despite this hellish week. It was definitely something the boy inherited from his mother. That optimism was to be admired, especially in times of trouble. It was a good thing that Trunks could bounce back easily. "Thank you," the boy responded respectfully. "That really means a lot."

Vegeta could see Bulma smiling from a distance as she set the table and started setting out food for dinner. He could only guess what the woman was thinking. To be honest, he felt even closer to her son after all they had been through. The week before, Vegeta had spent a lot of time with Trunks, going down to the prison to sit with him and working with the teenager and the attorney to get him home. Trunks had confided a lot in him since then, things he didn't want to concern his mother, Mai, or his friends with. Vegeta understood where the boy was coming from, and so he had offered him little statements like that each time they spoke, building Trunks up more. Was that how it was truly supposed to be between a father and son? If so, it seemed easy and second nature to Vegeta, and he wondered why his father couldn't have been bothered to learn.

But that didn't matter. All the chaos was over. Trunks and Mai were safe at home. Vegeta was living with his girlfriend, and it felt so natural. Everything at the company was taken care of, and Paragus could no longer harm them. Now, Goten was safe and his parents were aware of everything going on at school and in their son's life. They could handle those issues. There was nothing else that could bother them. They had truly survived the week of hell.

Of course, there was still Friday to go, but it wouldn't be that difficult of a day.

* * *

A/N: And now you know why I'm giving you another chapter. I can only hope that all of you made it to this ending A/N. To be fair, even I was upset as I wrote this, but living with a friend who has been through these kind of things is hard, and I speak from experience, though I can honestly what happened to Goten never happened to my friend, thankfully, though some of Goku's character and experience has come from certain conversations I've shared with my own friend. Anxiety and other disorders are tricky business, so I will add here that if any of you have friends or family that you help on a daily basis, God bless all of you and prayers to your loved ones. Believe me; they appreciate what you do.


	34. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

The next day, Bulma dropped Trunks off at Goku's home bright and early before she and Vegeta went off to work. Goten was already awake, dressed, and eating breakfast. Trunks noted that he definitely looked okay as he went to sit by his friend. Chi Chi and Bulma walked off for a moment, the latter thanking Bulma for all she did. When Bulma voiced that she didn't do much and just helped search, Chi Chi elaborated on what Goku had told them, and she came out and told the blue-haired woman that she was thanking her for all of it and for bringing Trunks over to spend time with Goten for the day. Surprisingly, Chi Chi hugged Bulma stunning her. She squeezed back tightly in silent reassurance for the concerned mother and told her that if she ever needed to talk about her own stress that they could commiserate together, and Chi Chi planned to take her up on that offer sometime.

Goten's goal for the day was to have a peaceful day by any means possible. He had taken his medication the night before in front of both of his parents, but he still felt quite shaken. His father explained that it would take a few days to a week of not skipping his meds for him to start feeling the difference.

The two teenagers were in Goten's room playing videogames in his room, currently Star Wars Battlefront, but the two of them were fairly quiet. Goten was hesitant to speak. Where his father had assured him Trunks wouldn't be angry with him, he was still uncertain. Trunks hadn't said much to him since breakfast. Of course, it was possible Trunks was waiting for him to talk and unload it all. He did that sometimes. Goten sighed as the thought hit him, and he paused the game for good measure.

Trunks simply set his controller down and turned to face his friend, the two sitting Indian style on the floor. He waited patiently, smiling understandingly which made Goten feel like he could breathe again, but he was still unsure of where to begin. Well, there was always one good place to start. "I'm sorry," he murmured, surprising Trunks who opened his mouth about to counter. "No, Trunks. I…I gotta get this out, okay? You can talk and tell me it's not my fault when I'm done."

Brow furrowing, Trunks nodded. "Okay."

Goten heaved a sigh of relief before leaning back and looking up at his ceiling. "I'm sorry that I put you all through that. I made a lot of mistakes. First, I let Paigen bully me into going her house…and then I actually let her…"

"Hey, man," Trunks interjected, placing a hand on his shoulder, "I get it. You don't have to elaborate on that."

"Yeah…" Goten replied with a small smile before huffing. "Anyway…my worst mistake was not taking my medication. I made mom think I was, but I was tossing it out each night. I just didn't want it. Then this happens and I made everyone so scared. Could you ever forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive, Goten," Trunks replied calmly. "Look, as far as Paigen goes, yeah, it was a mistake, but you were trying to protect me. I'm angry at her, not you. All I want to say on that is that I would have been able to handle my own, not that I don't appreciate you wanting to look out for me…but maybe in ways that won't get you to this point again, okay?"

"Okay," Goten agreed, nodding his head firmly.

"As for the medicine…well, why did you stop taking it?"

Goten looked away. "If I told you, you'd lecture me. Mom already kind of did."

"Try me," Trunks cheekily retorted, grinning. "I might surprise you."

That beaming smile of his made the tension in Goten's shoulders ease. The way Trunks was acting was similar to how Valese was acting once she pulled him away from the ledge. He was waiting on him patiently while give off this understanding vibe. He wasn't going to judge him. He never did. Goten realized that he was just being silly. "I felt like I didn't deserve it. I was punishing myself."

Trunks's smile saddened, but remained. "I'm not going to lecture yourself, but next time just ground yourself from videogames. That'll make it easier."

"Heh," Goten laughed bitterly. "You might be right about that. Just so you know, my parents called the school this morning and reported Paigen to the guidance office and principal, so they're all aware of what she was going to say and do…and unfortunately of what I almost did. Trunks…if Valese hadn't found me-"

"That didn't happen," Trunks interrupted, and Goten agreed with him. "Look, Ten, what Paigen did was awful, and I understand why you felt so overwhelmed and disgusted, but she was the one to be disgusted by, not you."

"But what does it say about me? That I let someone so disgusting touch me," Goten growled.

Trunks's expression softened. "It says that you felt trapped. I can't say I would have made the same decision, but I probably would have decked her to be honest…"

"You? Hitting a girl?" Goten joked. "Didn't we just go through a case where we had to argue you didn't do that?"

Trunks grinned ironically. "I might have made an exception."

"Yeah, I doubt that," Goten remarked, "but I needed the laugh. Thanks. So…you really don't think less of me?"

"Of course not," Trunks declared evenly. "Goten, it was a shitty situation, but it's over now. All you can really do is move on. Besides, I doubt you enjoyed it."

"You're right," Goten scoffed and glared at the floor. "I hated myself the whole time, more than I hated her…and I really hated her."

"Just take a deep breath," Trunks suggested. "Like an actual long breath. Not that quick in and out crap. Inhale through your nose and then exhale through your mouth, slowly."

"Huh," Goten spoke. "My dad told me to do that last night. Did you guys plan that?"

"No," Trunks returned, surprised. "Actually, the week we were waiting for the trial, I had a bad dream after the night in lockup and she had been bringing in the laundry and woke me up and sat with me. I didn't want to talk, so she talked me through that. If your dad told you…maybe…"

"Maybe that's what she told him to do, too," Goten said with a smile. "Dad was right. I didn't have to worry. You're a lot like your mom."

"Thanks!" Trunks chimed, happily accepting that. "We learn from the best, right."

"Yeah," Goten agreed. "Dad told me a lot of stuff last night, and it helped me to understand why I did what I did."

"Good," Trunks stated. "So, how's Valese doing? Mom said she found you."

"Uh, yeah," Goten answered, now blushing madly and turning to the television to try to hide it without Trunks noticing.

He noticed.

"Goten? Is there something you want to tell me?"

Goten grinned a little and laughed, but didn't look to his friend. "Don't be smug," he whispered. "I'm not going to say that 'you were right.'"

"You just did."

"Oh ha ha," Goten grumbled. "You know…I think I'm over this. I wanna go outside."

"It is a nice day," Trunks marveled. "Well, today's all about what you want to do."

"Okay. Uh, where should we walk to?"

Trunks just smiled at him and said, "Let's not have a destination. Maybe we'll find something new."

* * *

Paigen was nervous. She had never been called out of class before in her life, at least not to the guidance office. Her parents had been waiting for her which stunned the girl. They were never around, and they never came to school. They were always too busy with work, and she was usually left to her own devices. What could they possibly be doing there?"

"I'm glad you all could come," Gure stated, motioning for everyone to take a seat.

"Of course," the teenager's mother said, her voice soft.

"I'm sure you all understand how serious this is."

"What is?" Paigen asked, beside herself.

"We do," her father sighed. He looked to his daughter. "Honey, what were you thinking?"

"With _what_?" Paigen stressed. "I don't understand why I'm down here or what you're doing here. You're never home, so why is it that you can take time out of your schedule to come here and harass me."

"We're going to do better with that," her mother promised. Paigen would have laughed, but the woman looked more serious than ever. "Miss Gure told us that you've been acting out, fabricating stories to a counselor and threatening your classmates to spread lies that would get them into trouble."

Paigen's eyes widened. "That's what this is about? Goten told on me?" She looked like she had been betrayed, though she did consider the possibility she pushed him too far. Maybe he had gone to Valese and she told him to report her.

"Goten did not," Gure replied sadly. "He and his parents are allowing me to confide this all in you, mainly so that you don't do it again. Goten was missing for hours yesterday and one of his friends found him on the edge of a mountain. He was very distraught and overwhelmed and was so angry with himself for not coming to us about your last threat. All of his friends and his family were searching around the city for him all day."

Paigen actually looked concern when she said that. "W-What was he doing on a mountain?"

Gure really didn't want to say. Despite the family saying it was okay to tell Paigen's parents about what happened so they could call off their daughter, Gure felt it wasn't her place to share the horrible details. "I'm sure you can figure that out for yourself. Goten told them that you purposefully told him that you were going to use his condition against him. You definitely succeeded in making him feel horribly anxious."

"No…" Paigen whispered. "He wouldn't."

"That's why this is so serious," Gure replied before sighing. She looked to the parents. "The principal, assistant principal, and I all agree, as do Goten's parents, that Paigen should be suspended for a week out of school, one week of in-school suspension, and then detention the following week. All are a different form of punishment. At first, the principal suggested suspension for the month, but you should be relieved that Goten's mother asked what that would do for your grades and future. Though she's displeased with the situation, she feels all children have the right to an education, and when she was told you would be missing many exams, quizzes, and homework and would fail all of it, she asked for us not to destroy your future."

"Really?" Paigen questioned, disbelieving. If what Miss Gure had said was true, she had nearly ruined Goten's. Guilt, an emotion she rarely felt, seeped into her heart. Sure, she gave Goten hell, but she didn't want anything bad to happen to him. It was just so easy to get under his skin. She could manipulate him into spending time with her. That's all she really wanted, even if he was mad at her. She could live with that. She was attracted to him and loved being with him, even if it was negative attention. She never thought it would drive him to a breakdown.

Gure could easily tell that Paigen felt guilty. Normally she had this confident aura, but right now she just seemed saddened. "Is…is Goten okay?" she asked, her voice sounding empty.

"He will be," Gure assured her, smiling sadly. She'd seen girls like Paigen before, looking for attention, even negative attention, when they didn't receive much at home. It was unfortunate that it took all of this and a call to four different numbers to her parents for the family to see what their lifestyle was doing to others. "His friends and family are making sure of that."

"I…" Paigen murmured out, tears filling her eyes as reality hit her. She clutched the wooden arms of the chair. "I'm sorry… I didn't want that. I would never want that."

"I understand," Miss Gure stated. "But the one you really should apologize to is Goten and anyone else who was hurt by your actions."

The girl looked down to the floor feeling the shame from her actions. She didn't want to apologize to any of them, not because she wasn't feeling the severity of what she did, but because she was afraid of the fallout. Still, she nodded. She didn't have to apologize now. Maybe…maybe the others would just need their distance.

She wasn't ready to confront what she had done.

* * *

Gym let out, and Gohan was the last one out of the locker room after class. He didn't really like being around his other classmates, so he usually waited for the crowd to die down before he changed. Normally, he got to leave the locker room without a hitch. Today was a little different.

"Son," Coach Piccolo called out before Gohan could leave. "Got a minute?"

Gohan flinched slightly. A few pairs of eyes landed on him as his classmates overheard the teacher call him. It put him on edge, but he shook it off and walked with Piccolo out of the locker room and into his office. "Did I do something wrong?" was the first thing the teenager could think to ask.

Piccolo chuckled and crossed his arms. "On the contrary," he remarked. "Last week, I saw how you, your brother, and Trunks stood up to those bullies together. You three work well together."

"Uh, thanks?" Gohan replied questioningly. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"One of the boys is getting kicked off the team because he can't keep his grades up, and finding a replacement hasn't been easy," Piccolo explained. "I figured, since Goten and Trunks are on the team, maybe you'd like to join. I can see the three of you getting things done."

Gohan's eyes widened. He had never considered joining any school team, ever. He didn't think he could handle it. "I don't know," he murmured. "I've never played or even really paid close attention to a game before. I've come to watch my brother and Trunks for support, but I know nothing about the game."

"It's fine," Piccolo replied. "It's stuff you can learn. We have many practices before our next game, and I'm sure your brother and Trunks would help you. You can think about it and let me know. I would suggest talking to your family about it. Just know the offer is there."

"Yeah, okay," Gohan whispered in awe. "Um, thank you. I'll let you know soon."

Piccolo nodded and dismissed Gohan before the bell rang so he could get to his next class. It gave Gohan plenty to think about. Though the idea of joining the team made him nervous, maybe it would be okay if he had Goten and Trunks backing him up. He never really considered it before, but now it didn't seem like too much of a stretch. It would definitely be something he and his family would discuss, but somewhere inside of him was leaning towards a "yes."

* * *

Bulma had spent the morning working with her team to build the prototypes of some of their new projects for a meeting at the end of the week. If had taken hours, but she was finally heading back to her office to do some research before lunch. As she entered, she saw a dark-haired woman she didn't know standing in the middle of her office. Bulma was startled by someone else being in her office. "Uh, excuse me," she greeted. The woman turned to look at her with dark, coal-colored eyes. "May I help you? Did we have an appointment?"

The woman laughed lightly. "No," she replied. "I actually just came to speak with you. It's important."

"Okay?" Bulma replied questioningly before going to grab her and the woman a couple of water bottles. The woman watched Bulma steadily, never taking her eyes off the blue-haired woman. It made Bulma feel very uneasy that she could feel the eyes of this stranger on her. She had no idea who this woman was or what she wanted. Did she work here? Bulma had met many of the employees by now, but she could be a new hire.

She placed the water in front of the woman and took a seat on the opposite couch. "Okay, ma'am," she began. "What can I do for you?"

"Well," the lady spoke before the door to Bulma's office opened.

"Are you ready for lun…ch?" Vegeta voice spoke before he came in and saw Bulma sitting with a woman he hadn't expected to see again, at least not this soon. His eyes narrowed. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"You know her?" Bulma asked, and Vegeta's attention shifted to her. His expression softened when he saw her confusion before he glared at the other woman. Bulma had looked so nervous that it was easy for Vegeta to assume his mother was causing trouble for his girlfriend.

"Leave," he demanded harshly, shocking Bulma, but not the other woman. She just smiled sadly. "You aren't welcome here."

"Actually," the mother replied forlornly, "I'm up here because someone downstairs recognized who I was. Vegeta, I only came to meet the woman who is dating my son."

Bulma's eyes widened as she looked between her boyfriend and his mother. Vegeta looked so angry, like he was about to yell so Bulma stood up and inserted herself between the two. She was looking more to Vegeta than his mother. "Hey, listen," she soothed. "It's okay. I just got here, okay? We haven't said much to each other. Maybe since she's here, we should hear her out. I mean, when we started becoming serious, you went to talk to Launch." Vegeta's attention shifted back to Bulma, void of anger and replaced by shock. "Launch told me at one point. It's not something you had to do, but it helped put her mind at ease. That's probably all this is."

Vegeta's mother watched as her son's resolve crumbled slightly before he closed his eyes and sighed in frustration. He took Bulma's hand before he looked to his mother, anger returning. "How did you know about us, Kalina?"

The woman seemed stunned to hear Vegeta call her by her name, but tried to keep the dialogue moving. She decided to be honest with him. "Please, don't get upset, but Paragus called a while back saying that you were dating some kind of 'disgruntled, gold-digger employee." She could see the burning rage in Vegeta's eyes when she said that. "Of course, I didn't believe that," she attempted to pacify. "I know you've always had a good head on your shoulders and that you wouldn't be dating someone like that. I trusted your decision and told Paragus to leave you and the poor girl be."

"Then what are you doing here?" Vegeta snapped as Bulma started leading him to take a seat. "If you trusted my judgment, then you wouldn't be here."

Kalina frowned and gripped her water bottle looking away. "Well, I heard about what had been going on around here." She looked to Bulma. "I am so sorry that you and your son went through all of that. I had no idea Paragus was capable of such deceit. If there's anything I can do to make up for it, please let me know."

Bulma waved her off, but not disrespectfully. "It's okay now," she remarked. "My son is fine and doing well, so there's nothing that needs to be done. We're okay, thanks to your son."

Vegeta glanced over at Bulma with such adoration, and it did not escape his mother's notice. She smiled. "I called some of your father's old colleagues to get an understanding of what had happened, and they told me how the two of you really were. I simply wanted to meet Bulma, and then I would have left. I have been wanting to speak to you, Vegeta, for a very long time about your father. Please…will you hear me out?"

Vegeta was about to tell the woman where to go, his ire increasing again. Before he could say anything, Bulma placed her hand on his to offer him her support, whichever way he chose. Her smile calmed him as he laced their fingers together and clutched her hand tightly. He took in an even breath before releasing it and looked towards his mother. His brows were furrowed, but he was a little more open to just hear her out so he could throw her out later with no regrets. "You have fifteen minutes."

Surprised and thankful that her son had decided to give her any time, Kalina started saying everything she had been wanting to since Vegeta had left. "I cannot even begin to tell you how sorry we were and are, that your father and I treated you the way we had when Ella had passed," she started. "I know that no amount of apologies will make it right. You have every right to be angry with us for the rest of your life, and I couldn't blame you.

"But…things changed after you left," she explained, her voice sad. "We were both so distraught after you left. At first your father and I blamed each other, not wanting to take responsibility for hurting you to the point of chasing you away. Eventually, we realized that we had both contributed to your disappearance. We regretted it all, Vegeta. We knew we couldn't take it back." Vegeta didn't react visibly to her words. His gaze remained hardened, yet impassive.

"Once you had been gone for a while, your father and I found each other again. We were both grieving over losing you from our lives. We didn't know what to do, but your father ended up setting up a charity for the families who lost loved ones due to vehicular accidents, offering counseling and monetary support if the deceased was the breadwinner of the family while helping the family deal with the aftermath. He had wished we had done all of that for you, offered support when you had been mourning. He hoped to make up for it by making sure others didn't go through the same."

Vegeta had reacted this time, stunned. He hadn't known about the charity when he took over the company. He had seen that his father gave to a lot of charities, and he continued to allow the funding to go through for even if his father was trying to make himself look good in the public's eyes, Vegeta wanted to make sure those people would not suffer. He continued to make sure there was money for the donations. He couldn't believe his father had started up such a foundation, in memory of both him and Ella. It was as confusing as it was unexpected. Had his father really changed so much, or was he trying to gain his attention and win back his affection? Vegeta shook his head, not knowing what to do with this.

Bulma's hand squeezed his, and he returned the gesture hoping he wasn't hurting her with his hard grip. He swallowed and nodded for his mother to continue. The woman could see that Vegeta was at war with his emotions right now, so she decided to make the last bit of time she had a quick and painless as she could. "There's nothing I could ever do to change the past and what we did to you and put you through, and I understand if you never want to see me again, but I just wanted to make sure you knew…I…your father…we never stopped loving you, Vegeta, and we always believed you'd come back to us someday. Your father was and I am so immensely proud of you. That won't ever change, even if you send me away."

Vegeta was feeling dizzy. He wasn't used to feeling this kind of emotion, and it was making him feel incredibly overwhelmed. He wanted her to go. He couldn't handle all of this with her still there. "Thank you for the information," he mustered as evenly as possible. "But you need to leave."

Kalina could tell that her son was so consumed by grief and confusion and did not want to push him any further. "I understand," she replied. "Thank you for letting me speak. Believe me when I say I know how difficult it was, and I didn't deserve it, but I'm just glad I could tell you. I don't expect anything from you moving forward, but if you ever do want to talk again, the number is the same… Goodbye, Vegeta."

His mother walked out of Bulma's office letting the door close behind her. Vegeta finally let his carefully guarded mask crumble fully as he embraced Bulma who had continued to act as pillar of support. He felt her hands entwine in his hair as he nearly crushed the life out of her. Bulma said nothing and just allowed him to process all this new information as the two sat on the couch. Vegeta didn't let go of her, nor did he say a word. He just needed this.

* * *

Later, Trunks had Goten over for a sleepover as the two worked together on the schoolwork they missed for the day that Mai and Gohan had brought home. They spoke about their day with Bulma, Vegeta, and Mai, basically telling them that they had ended up exploring the city after playing some games and stumbled across this new yoga studio, so they had checked that out and decided they'd make that a weekly thing. They also mentioned that Gohan had come home saying that their coach extended an offer for him to join the football team, but he was on the fence about it. Goku and Chi Chi were discussing it thoroughly with him before they left.

Dinner was very lively, though after dinner, everyone decided to watch some television and chat. Bulma and Vegeta sat on the couch watching the teenagers, and they all seemed very calm and at peace. Everything was quiet, but Vegeta was unusually so. He felt so conflicted, and he had no idea what to do. Part of him wished he hadn't let his mother speak so that he wouldn't be going through this, but another part was glad he did. After he returned to his office, he looked into the charity his father had started. He read an interview where he came out and admitted the reason he started the charity. He wasn't trying to win his son's affections back. He only wanted to make sure that he could help other victims and mourners the way he never did for his son. When Vegeta had read the interview, he had actually shed a tear, and that was even more unsettling for him. He didn't want to let go of the anger. It was so much easier than what the alternative would be. He wasn't ready to grieve for the man yet.

When the teenagers went to sleep, Bulma and Vegeta got a couple of drinks and went to their room sitting out on the balcony. The two had been quiet as they stood and looked out into the night sky. Bulma was the first to break the silence with a joke that had dispersed much of Vegeta's tension. "You know, we've come full circle," she teased. "If I do recall, the last time we were like this was the night we had decided we were dating. Back then, both of us were so guarded and we didn't know as much as we did. We pretty much know everything now."

Vegeta nodded and pulled Bulma closer to him. He took a deep breath before sighing. "You don't know 'everything' yet," he told her. Bulma looked up at him silently telling him he could continue if he wanted. "Back when Trunks was sick, I told him some stuff from college that I hadn't told you yet."

"It's okay if you don't want to," Bulma assured him. "It's been a really rough day for you."

"I want you to know," he replied, nuzzling his nose in her hair. "You deserve to know. Life wasn't easy for me after Ella died, and finding anyone who would hire Vegeta Ouji's discontented, spoiled child who abandoned his parents and the company was very difficult. For a while, I was tooling around with some gang my roommate was a part of, not caring what would happen to me. Scholarships and loans paid for my tuition and room and board, but I had barely anything for food or books, so this was at least something."

"But dangerous," Bulma replied, stroking his cheek with her thumb. "You didn't get too hurt, did you?"

Vegeta scoffed a derisive chuckle. "Unfortunately," he answered. "I committed some petty crimes, and was involved in many street fights. Back then, I felt nothing and could care less about school or my life and future. My grades dropped to the point where I almost risked my scholarship. Eventually, I got caught by a rival gang, but they learned real quick that the idiots I was assisting could care less for my life. They had tortured and humiliated me for a while, but when they cut me down, I managed to fight them all and escaped, running into Raditz who recognized me from a shared class. He set me back on the straight and narrow."

Bulma grinned at that, thankful that her friend's brother had been there for Vegeta. It pained her to think of her boyfriend suffering so much. "I guess that explains all the scars I saw on your body. Not gonna lie, I had wondered. I'm so sorry you went through all of that alone."

Vegeta answered with a shrug before his lips found hers. "I'm surprised you hadn't asked."

His girlfriend laughed lightly. "Well, you offered me the same courtesy. You didn't ask me about mine."

Vegeta pulled away, looking confused. "It was from the hysterectomy, yes?"

Bulma smiled and shook her head. "No, by the time I had that done, it was done with lasers and the scar was hardly visible. That was from the C-section when I had Trunks. Many of the women in mom's family all had difficult births, and I was no exception."

Vegeta's expression softened as his hands trailed up Bulma's back. "Well, no wonder we found each other. We're both survivors." Bulma agreed with a nod, her smile ever present.

"Anyway," Bulma continued, "I just want you to know that none of that stuff you told me bothers me. I'm just glad you made it through."

Vegeta nodded. "Thanks to Raditz. I couldn't stand him at first as he told me I had to stop letting others control me and that I needed to get my life back on track. He was the first person I ever confided in, and then he made sure I didn't starve myself to death. Once I was able to get money, I could take care of myself. Uh…Trunks asked how I got the money, but I didn't really delve into it. It was by legal means, though."

"Do you mind me asking how?" Vegeta didn't respond right away. "You don't have to tell me, but I'm just curious."

"I don't mind telling you," her boyfriend stated. "Knowing you and how you had Trunks, I'm sure it wouldn't bother you. I…decided to donate sperm for a few different things, like for research purposes and artificial inseminations."

Bulma's eyes widened, not having expected that, but she smiled at him and squeezed him tight. "Well, having been someone who benefited from someone who also made that decision, I have to thank you on behalf of all women who have benefited from your donation."

That made Vegeta laugh and shake his head. "You're ridiculous, woman."

"Maybe," Bulma murmured softly. "And about everything you told me, I'm okay with all of it. Your past, however difficult and dark it was, shaped you into the wonderful man you are today, the man that I love."

Vegeta was astonished that Bulma had confessed. He had overheard when she had told Goku her feelings, but she had not voiced them with him. The momentary shock disappeared as quickly as it came, and Vegeta's lips crashed against Bulma's in a heated kiss. He mumbled against her lips that he felt the same way about her, and he felt her lips quirk into a smile. Her happiness radiated, and the stress Vegeta had felt the entire day had disappeared under the glow of her light.

* * *

A/N: As I said last chapter, chaos is going to take the backseat for a while, and the reason is that I'm about to get into "holiday chapters," practically the Holiday Saga of the story if I had to give it a name. Next 5-6 chapters are already planned out. I don't know when I'll actually get to them since I want to work on some other stories from which I had been taking a break. I'll still aim to work on this one in my spare time, though. Get ready for some fluff, fun, and only minor drama for the time being. Thanks again for reading and reviewing!


	35. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

Halloween was now only a few days away, and Vegeta could not get over how crazy Bulma and Trunks went with the decorating. Even Mai was in shock as she walked down the stairs and felt like she was in the middle of a haunted house. She and Vegeta exchanged perplexed glances. Had the two of them really done all of this overnight? The last two days they had been watching Halloween specials, and at first only a few decorations and candleholders were out. At first, when Vegeta heard Bulma say she'd be up late because she and Trunks were going to decorate, he hadn't thought he'd wake up in an entirely different apartment.

He and Mai entered the kitchen seeing Bulma at the stove and Trunks sitting at the table reading. Bulma turned and saw the wide-eyed expression on Mai's face while Vegeta just looked bewildered. "What?" she asked, when they looked around the spooky looking kitchen. "Too much?"

"Quite," Vegeta replied. "No wonder you came in at three in the morning."

"Aw, hun, I'm sorry," Bulma cooed. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Vegeta only shrugged. He was a light sleeper, anyway, part of his self-preservation from his college days. He took a seat next to Trunks and looked to see what he was reading. Of course it was a book of scary stories. Trunks turned to see Vegeta staring at him and grinned before putting the book away. Mai sat on the other side of him just looking around the home. If it wasn't light outside, she'd be really freaked out with this new ambiance.

Bulma set breakfast down on the table for everyone before taking a seat and giving Vegeta a peck on the cheek. Vegeta looked her in the eye, surprised by the PDA, but he could not deny to himself that he liked it. "So, mom?"

Both adults looked to Trunks. His excitement could hardly be contained, and at first both Bulma and Vegeta thought it had to do with their display. "What is it, sweetie?"

"Do you think we could have a Halloween party here? Me and the guys were talking after practice and they didn't believe we went so crazy, so when Gohan and Goten told them they had no idea, they asked if they could come."

Bulma's eyes met Vegeta's. She could tell he wasn't crazy about the idea. He was fine with Trunks's group of friends, but there would be a lot more teenagers all hopped up on sugar. "Why don't you two finish eating and get ready for school? I'll give you an answer before you leave."

Trunks accepted that. When he and Mai were finished with breakfast, they went upstairs to finish their routines. Bulma took Vegeta's hand in hers. "What do you think?" she pressed gently.

"Must we?" he breathed out.

"I know Trunks would enjoy it," Bulma replied, "but I don't want you to feel uncomfortable. I also wouldn't want to leave a bunch of rowdy teenagers unsupervised. I can offer you a compromise, though."

"Oh?" Vegeta countered, though he was interested to hear what she had to say. "And what is that?"

Bulma smiled at him, remembering how they first met. "We could always do a nightclub theme, though I won't allow any alcohol with a group this big."

Vegeta was actually impressed by the idea. He didn't necessarily mind the crowds at nightclubs, and he did enjoy the music. He didn't like the idea of no alcohol while dealing with teenagers, but he figured he could handle that for a night. He answered with a nod, and Bulma beamed. "Thank you. And don't worry. I'll invite some of my friends too, and my mother and Launch. That way it won't be a room full of teenagers. Could you invite Raditz and Nappa?" Her answer was another nod.

At that moment, Trunks came careening down going to his mother to get his answer. Bulma smiled to her son and gave him the affirmative. Trunks really was excited and gave both his mother and Vegeta a big group hug. Vegeta was so startled by Trunks's action, but his hand found its way to the boy's shoulder. He felt Trunks's hold around him tighten. It always amazed him how something so small, like accepting this party idea, could have such an impact on the young teenager.

* * *

Once at work, Bulma and Vegeta parted ways for the day, and Vegeta got to work in his office. To be honest, he didn't have terribly much to do for the day. This was the normal lull after a conference, after meeting with new clients and business partners. It was both a blessing and a curse, for it left Vegeta to his own thoughts, and right now those thoughts were about his mother.

He didn't know what to feel. Before he knew. Before, he just needed to be angry, with both her and his father. He was still very angry with them both for how they had wronged them, but now he felt like maybe he wronged them too. No, that was stupid. He was doing what he told Bulma so many times not to do. He would not feel guilty for preserving himself to the best of his abilities.

Part of him just wanted to scream at the woman for putting this on him, but before he hadn't wanted to do that much. He could have lived with never saying another word to her after seeing her at that grocery store. Fate was not so rewarding. Well, he couldn't say that either. It yielded him Bulma. She was his guide. If she could put aside her differences and let her stepmother into her life, then maybe…

It went back to what he wanted. He didn't know what he wanted. He wanted to still be angry, but could he be angry with her and let her into his life? Could he waste time sitting here, trying to make a decision when life was so damn short? No. If he was going to do something, anything, he needed to do it soon, whether it be to tell her off or reconnect with her. He needed to do it soon. There was just no more time, not to wait on this.

Picking up his phone, he dialed the number he knew from memory. It was his old house number, after all. A housekeeper picked up the line, and Vegeta sucked in a breath once the woman asked who was calling. "Hello," Vegeta greeted, huffing out a breath as he awkwardly continued to play a stranger. "Is Kalina Ouji available?"

* * *

Football practice ended early, so Mai and Trunks decided to head to the company to get some work done. Both Bulma and Vegeta had kept telling them there wasn't much going on at the time, but it didn't matter to them. To be honest, they both enjoyed working so closely with the adults of their house. Mai enjoyed learning new things from Bulma, and Trunks was overjoyed when Vegeta taught him another life lesson.

Of course, the two adults really had meant that there was really nothing for them to do, save look through data or sorting files. It was still something, and most of their time was spent on the computer, so the two teens were able to send e-mails back and forth, Mai having initiated the flurry of messages. It made Trunks smile when he saw the message, and grinning like a schoolboy he laughed and sent her back a really fun message like the two of them we coworkers in some sort of taboo relationship and how sending such things over the work e-mail was too dangerous. Mai played along, which made it even funnier, and Trunks had to cover her mouth so as not to disrupt whatever Vegeta might be doing.

The amusing antics of the teenagers made both their work and time go by so quickly, and closing time came. Bulma and Mai had come up to Vegeta's office to reconvene with him and Trunks to head home, though Vegeta had very cryptically stated that he had to be somewhere else and didn't know what time he'd be back. Vegeta was stunned when Bulma let it go without any explanation. She simply kissed him and whispered an "okay, hun," in his ear. She had never called him by a pet name before, and it made him feel strange inside.

He figured it was normal for Bulma not to question him. He had treated her with the same courtesy when she had gone out to lunch with her ex-boyfriend. No, he hadn't been worried since he had put all of his trust in her. Still, it was a huge revelation to him that Bulma completely trusted him, too. He beamed with pride, smirking at her retreating form, over the fact that he had earned the trust of the woman with severe trust issues towards men. She trusted him too.

He focused on that until he reached the restaurant where he would be meeting his mother. She chose it, knowing it was his favorite as a boy. They used to get lunch here all the times his father called home saying he had a last minute trip. A delicious sandwich and a giant ice cream sundae was not going to heal the deep wounds in his heart. Still, he did not argue. He agreed to meet her.

She was already there, waiting for him, sitting in a booth near a window so they could watch the cars pass by. She already had that sundae ordered. Vegeta snickered bitterly finding both the humor and the sadness in that.

The second she spotted him, her face lit up. Vegeta's heart nearly stopped, not used to this. He hadn't seen her look at him with anything other than hate or despair in the longest time. He swallowed down whatever emotion it made him feel, his eyes closing as he felt the saliva get choking him. A waiter came to offer him water, but he waved his hand and told the man he was fine. He just needed to get through…whatever this was.

He so wanted to call it a meeting, and he did not want to call it dinner, but it was neither. He could call it a discussion, but that sounded even more formal than meeting or debate. He shook his head. What did it matter what he called it?

"Hello, Vegeta," Kalina greeted warmly. "How was your day?"

"Don't," Vegeta grunted, making her frown. "Just don't. We are not here to exchange pleasantries."

"Oh," Kalina replied, feeling sullen once again. "I really hoped…never mind. I won't put that on you."

"What?" her son growled, crossing his arms and leaning back, much like he had when he was a preteen, before she ever found out about the affair and they were both so close. It had been Vegeta's twelfth birthday, and they had had a cake and everything at home. Her young son had been so excited, for his dad had promised to be there, but like always, he was gone, and so she and Vegeta came to this very restaurant. The tall, ice cream sundae always put a smile on Vegeta's face, but on his twelfth birthday he had finally realized that his father would always break his promises and let him down. The ice cream hadn't worked then, either. Kalina sighed.

"Nothing," she stated before motioning to the sundae. "You better eat that before it melts."

"I'm not one for sweets anymore," he said pushing the sundae towards her. Her expression looked like he had hit her in the gut and then kicked her puppy. Vegeta leaned against his elbow, propping himself up on the table. "You look like you need it more than I do. I'll get a sandwich."

A genuine smile appeared on his mother's face, just like when he had arrived, and Vegeta couldn't ignore it. The woman before him was not the same hateful woman who had slapped him in the face the day the affair had come out just because he was trying to go to her and comfort her. It wasn't the same woman who looked at him with disgust the rest of his teenaged years who didn't give two shits when he lost Ella. In front of him sat a woman who looked lost and broken, like all of her pieces were missing, and one of them was sitting right in front of him.

Kalina didn't look away from him the entire time they ate in silence. It unnerved Vegeta that that woman was still smiling at him, and he could not meet her eyes. He knew if he did, his resolve would break, but he had some things he needed to say, and damn it, he was going to say them. "So," his mother spoke up, her voice cautious, "may I ask how Bulma is doing?"

Vegeta's eyes narrowed, but he nodded. "She is fine."

"That's good," Kalina sighed, relieved. "I still can't believe what happened."

"It's over," Vegeta grunted. "Trunks is moving past it, too."

"I'm sure it was terrifying for him," Kalina offered. "I'm very happy that you've been there for them. You're a good role model."

"Tch," Vegeta scoffed, glaring down angrily at his sandwich. "Knock it off. You know nothing about me. I'm a different person then the boy you knew. I don't give a shit about old sentiments that mean nothing anymore. This place…I know you chose it for that reason, but those days are over. I don't connect with them anymore."

Kalina wiped away a tear before Vegeta could look up at her and see it. She could see his anger, and her words got caught in her throat. She could only nod as Vegeta continued. "I have years I've built up resentment, and I'm going to fucking get it out, understand?" Kalina nodded it again. "I hated you both… You keep saying you know you both failed me. You don't know the half of it. You don't know how I suffered. Do you know how I survived college because _no one_ would hire me because you two played the victim? I won't go into details, but I was nearly killed so many times, and a complete stranger I had a class with had to set me straight again because I didn't even see value in my own life! The woman I loved was gone, my father thought me to be worthless, and my mother didn't care about me because she was a scorned woman. I didn't do that to you! He did!"

"I know," Kalina whispered. "I know, Vegeta. I was a sorry excuse for a mother. If anyone was worthless, it was-"

"Shut up," Vegeta growled. Even if he agreed with the first part of her statement, after Bulma had confided how her father made her feel, he would not let any woman say they were worthless. "Don't pity yourself. Just listen, damn it, for once in your life."

Kalina shut her mouth and nodded, not wanting her son to withdraw. If he was going to berate her more, that was fine. She and her husband both deserved it, although only she would be able to face it. Vegeta took her actions as permission to continue. "The two of you…you don't know how much I had changed, and then years later he…he tried to call me through a company I had built from scrap. I wanted nothing to do with either of you. I didn't care about what would happen to either of you, and even though I didn't know he was sick, I really didn't give a damn."

Well, that hurt Kalina a bit, because when she had lost Vegeta, she had been devastated, but that had been after years of counseling, finding each other over the loss of their son, and working painstakingly hard at remembering what brought them together in the first place…love. Their son had not had any love, it sounded like, in all that time. This Bulma woman must have been something special to worm her way into his hardened heart. Thank God, for that.

"The only reason I had come back to this damned town was to run the company, because for whatever reason I couldn't let the thing I hated crumble, for father and whatever part of me still held some boyish hope. To be honest, I should have wanted it to burn. Maybe I just wanted to prove myself to him beyond the grave."

"Oh, Vegeta, honey," Kalina cooed, "you've done that already. There was nothing you needed to prove. Your father…he's always been proud of you. I just wish he could tell you himself."

"Feh, you and me both," Vegeta grumbled, crossing his arms, but as he leaned back, both he and his mother jumped up. Had those words really left his mouth? His mouth dropped open as his brows furrowed in confusion. Was that really had he felt? It had come out without thinking. Was that really what was causing him pain? That his father had never said the words that he was proud of him to his face? "Fuck, I'm such a child."

Kalina smiled sadly and reached across the table to place he hand on his. Vegeta looked to the woman distrustfully, his eyes questioning what she was doing. "We made you grow up too early," she consoled. "That was on us. Vegeta, we both loved you so much, but we were blinded by our own worlds to see you suffering, to see that you were reaching out and needed us. I turned you away, the night Ella had died. I shut you out and pushed you away. I don't expect to ever be forgiven for that, not yet. I can't forgive myself. I was wrong, so horribly wrong. You deserved better.

"All I can really do now is support you now, even if it's from a distance," she continued. "No matter what you choose, any decision you make, I will support it, even if it's to tell me to take a hike right now. I love you, and I will spend the rest of my life trying to make these years of pain up to you."

Vegeta truly believed her. He could feel what she was saying in his core, and he saw the blatant honesty in her gaze. He shook her off. "You didn't let me finish," he grunted. "As usual."

Kalina fell back at that and frowned. "I'm sorry. Please…please continue."

"I also came back for another reason," he admitted, glaring down at the remainders of his dinner. "I realized I had issues that I needed to work out, and that I needed to face them. I thought I could do that at work, but if Bulma has taught me anything, it's that these things can't wait for us to get up off our asses and do it ourselves. So, I'm not going to deal with this anymore." He saw his mother falter and realized that she had taken his words the wrong way, so he changed his tactics. "Bulma and I are living together," he informed her. Kalina was surprised, but she nodded for him to continue, sensing more. "She is throwing a Halloween party, mainly for her son and a large group of friends from his school." He swallowed, feeling anxious as he reluctantly coughed out, "You are welcome to join us if you would like."

Joy. Pure joy radiated from his mother. "Oh, I would love to!" she said excitedly. "Um, let's see. I can help with something. Food? Maybe decorations."

"No!" Vegeta shouted, looking horrified.

Kalina jumped at the force and held her hand to her chest. "W-What…what did I…?"

"Bulma and Trunks have already taken care of decorations," Vegeta muttered. His mother was about to say something, but he shook his head. "Just…don't ask. I couldn't even describe it if I tried."

A light laugh left his mother as she shook her head. "Well, alright, then. But please, let me know if you need anything, okay?" Vegeta nodded. Just as the conversation ended, the waiter returned with a bill. Vegeta moved to grab it, but his mother's hand covered his. "Please, Vegeta, let me. I'm the one who ordered without you. It's…it's really the least I could do."

Vegeta sighed, but he removed his hand from the billfold. He didn't like being coddled, not by her, but he could at least make an effort in repairing their broken relationship. She was. He still wasn't going to thank her.

He got up to leave, Kalina smiling ever so brightly. "I'll see you soon, son."

"Yeah," Vegeta remarked. "Whatever."

* * *

When Vegeta returned to the apartment, he was met with a very welcome sight. Bulma was in the living room with Trunks and Mai watching "The Great Pumpkin" special, and the three were all reaching for caramel corn they had clearly just made, Trunks sitting between the two women and holding the bowl in his lap. He stepped into the living room making his presence known, and like his mother Bulma's expression lit up upon seeing him. The sensation was different, their eyes meeting causing the powerful, electric sensation to overcome him.

She instantly stood and made her way to the kitchen to reheat his dinner. Vegeta followed and stopped her, pinning her against the counter and pressing himself against her as he stole a kiss. Bulma's hands held his shoulders to steady herself as he roughly kissed her, and she had to refrain from squeaking as his hands grazed the skin of her stomach, the bottom of her sweater being bunched up. She pulled away and looked incredibly flustered making her burly boyfriend grin impishly. His hand kept pushing upward on the sweater, his eyes never leaving hers.

Using one of her hands, Bulma lightly slapped him on the shoulder looking less than amused. She nervously looked over to the living room to see Trunks and Mai both focused on the television and released a sigh of relief before glaring at her grinning man. She shook her head in disbelief, especially when he grabbed her before she could move away. He had her trapped in that moment, her back pressed to his chest, his hand running down to her thigh as he kissed her neck. He was being incredibly playful, but here was not the best place to have this interaction.

Bulma noticed her son look at his phone, still thankfully not bringing his attention to what was going on in the kitchen. "Hey, mom," he called out, and even better, Vegeta finally released her, though now she was definitely hot and bothered.

"Y-Yes, Trunks," she managed to get out without too much of an issue. She could hear Vegeta chuckling beside her and mentally cursed him wanting to give him another good smack.

"Goten just asked if we wanted to catch a movie with him and Valese. Goku is willing to pick us up. They're on their way already."

Bulma sent her son a warm smile. "Of course you can go."

Trunks beamed at her and thanked her before he and Mai went to get ready. Bulma loved seeing her son so happy, but she would have already agreed to let him go wherever. Vegeta wasn't making it easy on her, rubbing her lower back repeatedly, suggestively as his hand wandered lower. Once the teenagers were gone, Bulma really did let him have it, the couple taking advantage of the couple hours they had alone. They planned to make every minute count, and Vegeta was not concerned with any _punishment_ he might receive for flustering his woman so.


	36. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter, including guest reviewer ProjectHappy. I'm glad you're all enjoying the story.

* * *

At Vegeta's touch, Bulma shivered. The two of them had spent quite a bit of time together after Trunks and Mai had left, and they had dozed off for a while covered by a single sheet, the rest of their blankets tossed aside. Vegeta must have roused first, for she felt his fingers smoothly gliding down her stomach. Bulma bit her lip to avoid moaning. She had no idea what time it was, and it was possible that the kids had returned home. She needed to be quiet.

Vegeta must have known, for he chuckled and then started trailing his fingers upward, up her body, his hand eventually reaching her hair and tangling itself in her aqua tresses. He pulled her in for a passionate kiss before he started trailing kisses down her body. Bulma gasped out, clinging to him as he evoked such feelings inside of her. Her eyes met his as he looked up at her while kissing her stomach. The connection she felt in that moment was so deep. She kept eye contact as her hands moved to his hair. He growled against her before he quickly moved to embrace her and kiss her lips once again.

Bulma smiled into the kiss feeling immensely happy. She had never pictured herself like this, ever being with a man like this on a regular basis. To be honest, she feared she'd never trust anyone like this, to see her this vulnerable. She never wanted to be vulnerable, but with Vegeta it just seemed right. "Mm, I love you," she hummed against his lips. Vegeta responded by kissing her forehead before returning to her lips, his tongue probing the entrance. Bulma laughed lightly, allowing him passage. The two of them were getting heated again before Bulma gasped and pulled away.

Vegeta frowned impudently before grunting, "What?"

"I forgot…" Bulma murmured. "You didn't eat anything yet. I'm sorry. I forgot that that was what I was doing before we-"

"Don't worry about it," Vegeta mumbled before he nipped at her neck, lightly biting her skin.

Bulma flashed him a heatless glare. "Of course I'm going to worry. You need to eat something. I feel bad for making you skip dinner."

Her boyfriend paused in his ministrations, pulling away only for a moment to say, "I already ate when I was out with my mother."

The words stunned Bulma and, to Vegeta's irritation, she pushed him back before he could touch his lips to her soft skin and looked at him with questioning eyes. He grunted and pulled back, remaining stoic and indifferent, but his eyes never left hers. "How did that happen?"

Vegeta sighed, his eyes closing as he breathed out through his nose. He looked to his woman again and pulled her close. "It was on a whim," he told her. "I needed to push forward, so I contacted her and we met out somewhere. I still don't know how I feel about her, but I…I invited her to the Halloween party if that's all right with you."

Bulma's eyes lit up with mirth. "Of course it's all right with me," she soothed, rubbing the taut muscles of his shoulders. "Vegeta, it's your house, too, and she's your mother. You don't have to ask permission."

"Hn," Vegeta grunted before nuzzling his nose against her neck. "I know."

His behavior was amusing Bulma, especially since he was being more playful and cuddly than usual. Bulma adjusted herself so that she was embracing him around his waist, and she started showering the spot of his old injury with a lot of attention. Vegeta hissed in pleasure as his grip tightened around her. His eyes closed and he relaxed against her, his entire body twitching, as he rested his forehead against the crux of her neck burying himself. He could not even begin to describe what this woman was making him feel, and he was by no means planning on stopping her, even if it was quite possibly the middle of the night.

* * *

The next day, Trunks and Mai were inviting their friends over to their house, and of course Trunks, Goten, and Gohan were meeting up with their football buddies to extend the invitation. Some were planning to bring their girlfriends, and it was slowly becoming the talk of the school. Trunks wondered how his mother would feel about that, but at least he could honestly say he wasn't the one telling all these other people. It was probably going to be crowded.

In any case, it was bound to be a good night. The group was currently hanging out by their lockers before homeroom discussing the costumes they were planning to wear. They were getting even more excited about the party, but then something happened to bring their conversation to an abrupt hault.

Paigen approached them.

Immediately, eyes narrowed at the girl, the boys getting a bit more defensive and angry at the pain she had caused them all. Trunks was about ready to insert himself between the girl and Goten, but Goten placed a hand on his shoulder and then squeezed Valese's hand for reassurance before he stepped up to face the girl.

"What do you want?" he demanded coldly.

Paigen grimaced. Well, she knew she kind of deserved that after putting the teenager through emotional hell. She turned slightly so that she was facing both Goten and Trunks, and she was so incredibly nervous. This…this wasn't the kind of attention she wanted. "Uh um," she stammered, and both boys, though still glaring, looked slightly perplexed. "I…I just wanted to say…God, this is harder than I thought."

"There's nothing we want to hear from you," Trunks stated clearly.

"I-I know," Paigen replied, "b-but…there's something I need to say anyway." She closed her eyes and swallowed for a minute before her sad eyes met Goten's wrathful orbs. It didn't change Goten's outward appearance, but now he was actually curious. Still, he wasn't going to be friendly with this witch or anything.

"Say what you have to say and then get the heck away from us," Goten hissed. "We have things to do."

"O…Okay," Paigen whispered. "Look, I…I wanted to apologize, to the both of you." Now, everyone's anger dissipated and shock took over. "I…I know there's nothing I can say to make up for what I did to _either of you_ , but I had to say something. I've been talking with Miss Gure a lot, and I realize now why I was acting out. It's…it's not an excuse, and I don't expect any of you to be nice to me or like me, but I needed to apologize. What I caused…it's been tearing me up inside. I just…wanted you to know that."

She looked up to see if her words had done anything only to notice that all the eyes on her were either skeptical or angry, so she hesitated again. "Uh, y-yeah…so that's it then."

Paigen started to skit away so anxiously, and the six quickly exchanged glances, all regrettably thinking the same thing. Goten growled at himself for what he was about to do, but it had to be done. "Paigen," he called out, causing the girl to freeze. "Wait."

"Um…yeah?" the redhead called back hesitantly.

Goten sighed as he looked away from her, grasping Valese's hand a bit too tight. His girlfriend smiled up at him and nodded. "Trunks and Mai are having a Halloween party," he mumbled. "I guess you can come if you want."

Paigen was astonished to receive any kind of invite, and now she was on the defensive. "W-Why?" she asked, slightly fearful. "Why would you…?"

"Don't mistake this," Goten scoffed. "Nothing changes between us. I'm just sick of all this bullshit. We've been at odds for so long and I just want to move past it. I'm inviting you as a sign of good faith, but if you try to screw around with us again there will be no coming back from it."

A soft smile appeared on Paigen's face before she politely bowed to all of them. "Then…I'm thankful for the chance." She ran off quickly, before anything else could happen.

Goten groaned a bit, but both Trunks and his brother pulled him in for a group hug that the girls piled on. "That was really big of you, Goten," Gohan stated. "Proud of you."

"Yeah, yeah," Goten laughed while trying to free himself from all the contact. "Just as long as she stays away from us. There will be plenty of people there."

The warning bell went off at that moment.

"Eh, looks like we better get to homeroom," Trunks muttered. "See you guys later at lunch."

Everyone said their goodbyes quickly before heading to their respective classes not wanting to get written up for being too late. Thankfully, they all made it in time, the day continuing to be a good day.

* * *

"I'm glad we finally got to do this."

Tarble smiled at the woman sitting across from him shyly. "I'm sorry," he said releasing a chuckle. "Work has been pretty hectic."

"I understand," Gure assured him, taking his hand. "This date was worth the wait."

"Hey, that rhymed."

Gure couldn't help but smile at the man. She knew it was pretty unconventional to date the relative of a student she spoke to on a daily basis, but there was just something about him. He was so open and so sweet. True to his word, he had called her after they met up at the grocery store, and the two had been talking back and forth for a while. Gure understood. Besides, for the longest time Tarble had his nephew's case on the brain. Even she had done what she could for the teenager. The whole ordeal had been very unfair.

After the case, though, Tarble's workload increased immensely. He was handling it well, but the long hours had made his so exhausted that he didn't want to do much of anything. There was one time when Gure had gone over to the apartment with her friend, but Cabba had said Tarble had passed out, not knowing that the girls were stopping by. While her friends went out, Gure opted to stay and actually got to see Tarble when he had finally woken up. The two had ended up watching a movie that night, Tarble ordering them Chinese food.

This was their first, official date, and Gure had gotten really dressed up. It was the first time she had dolled up for anyone since high school, and Tarble had told her that she looked beautiful. He had been the perfect gentleman all night. They had gone to a casual restaurant and were close to the end of their meal when a couple of teenagers from the school ran passed the table, pulling Gure's bandana, exposing her shaved head.

It had astonished Gure. She hadn't expected to be grabbed from behind, and she tensed at the contact. Tarble noticed, his brows furrowing in confusion before he was on his feet and approached the laughing teenagers. The two boys looked at him distrustfully, but Tarble didn't care. His eyes narrowed at the boys as he held his hand out. "That was very rude of you two," he berated them. "Kindly return Gure's bandana."

The boy who had grabbed the cloth hesitantly placed it in Tarble's hand before the two ran off feeling chills at how angry the stranger had sounded. Tarble sighed, surprised that they had actually listened, before a smile returned to his face and he joined Gure. She was shyly grinning at him when he moved to tie the bandana back around her head. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Of course," Tarble returned moving to take her hand. "You okay?"

Gure laughed at that. "If it isn't," she started, "it's because I did this to myself, so it's nothing to worry about."

"What do you mean?" Tarble asked, his brow furrowing as his grip tightened on your hand. "You didn't do anything to deserve that."

Her eyes widened before she smiled and closed them. "Oh, Tarble, I didn't mean that," she explained. "I only meant that I made myself look like this. To be honest, I'd hoped it would negate any…unwanted attention." The way Tarble was looking at her as she said this was piercing her soul. She had to look away. "Listen to me," she mourned. "Talking about these unimportant things on our first date."

"No, please, continue," Tarble implored. "I don't know what you mean, but I want to. I want to know all about you."

"You're really sweet," Gure murmured happily. "I never thought I'd meet someone like you ever, nor did I really expect for anyone my friend were to set me up with to be interested in me after meeting, not when I look like this."

"Like what?" Tarble huffed. He already knew what she was going to say, but he honestly had no problem with how Gure looked. She was beautiful and had a beautiful soul. That was all he could see.

"Tarble," Gure breathed out a laugh, "you know what I mean. The fact that I'm bald, though I do it to myself."

"Why, if you're worried about you're appearance?" Tarble questioned lightly.

The woman smiled sadly and shook her head. "It's a long story, but the short version is that when I went away to college, I was assaulted." Tarble's grip on her hand tightened, and Gure noted that he was staring intensely at a spot on the table. "I…I knew the guy. He was in one of my classes, and he had asked me to a party, but I decline. You see, I knew his reputation. He liked to mess around with all the pretty girls, get them to a party drunk and alone. I said 'no' in front of everyone, and later on he came after me."

"Did you report him?" Tarble asked hesitantly. He had already sensed the answer when Gure frowned.

"No," she admitted. "I had felt horrible and disgusting and I didn't want to make a production. I just wanted to move on from the incident, but I never wanted him to want to touch me ever again. I had missed only a couple days, but when I returned to class, I had shaved off all my hair and I just wore a hat. He did grab me again when we were alone in the hall as others were entering class, but when I pulled off the hat, he released me and I knew he was pissed, but he never bothered me again. I kept shaving off the hair as it grew back because it just felt safe. I didn't want anyone to come after me because they thought I was beautiful."

"I think you're beautiful," Tarble interjected, his voice sincere, "both inside and out."

Gure smiled weakly. "You don't think I'm strange?"

"I have two hearing aids," Tarble countered. "You don't think I'm strange."

"No, I don't," Gure returned.

"I really wish you hadn't gone through that," Tarble said seriously. "It shouldn't have happened to you. Now, I'm sure it probably wouldn't have happened again, but if you feel more comfortable shaving your head, I'd say keep doing it, but as long as it's what you _want_ and not what you think you _have to do_ to protect yourself."

Gure felt her heart racing, but she managed to keep composed as she softly said, "I'll keep that in mind."

Tarble grinned, his grip on her hand softening as he stroked it with his thumb. Out of nowhere, his phone went off and he mentally cursed himself for forgetting to shut it off. "Uh, sorry about that," he said nervously. "Mind if I check that?"

"Go right ahead," Gure giggled.

Tarble did so, seeing that he had a text message from his sister. His eyes quickly roved the contents, and a beaming smile appeared on his face. "Hey," he said, meeting eyes with Gure, "I know we haven't finished this date yet, but would you be willing to make another?"

Gure's eyes lit up when he asked. "I'd love to, Tarble. What were you thinking?"

"My sister is having a Halloween party," he explained. "I'd really like it if you were my date. Uh, I hope it's okay that my mom will probably be there. I don't want to pressure you."

"It's okay," Gure replied with a nod. "I still would like to go with you. Thank you for inviting me."

Her acceptance had easily made Tarble's day. He hadn't really known what to expect. The last date he had been on had been with his fiancé months ago. She had been avoiding him later on in their relationship, which now Tarble knew why, and beforehand he hadn't really had much dating activity. He had really hoped Gure would enjoy herself, and at first he was really nervous until they started talking. Talking with the woman was so easy. She was so light and kind and hardly judgmental. It had caused him physical heartache to think of her suffering all alone in the past. The anger he felt towards the stranger who had harmed her was unbelievable.

A waiter came to leave the check for them, and Tarble picked it up before Gure could even move. She blinked at him, bewildered at his speed. She was just so endearing. Everything she did, said, or reacted to just made him smile. He couldn't wait to bring her to the party.

* * *

The night of the Halloween party had come, and Bulma was in the process of getting ready. Trunks had already set up the music with his friends, and they had gone upstairs to change into their costumes. Pilaf had shown up shortly after the kids came home from school. He and Bulma were talking while the woman was placing trays of food out onto the table. "I never really had the true chance to thank you," Pilaf said, assisting her. "I'm so happy that Mai is becoming more vibrant and open. She's beginning to remind me of her mother."

Bulma flashed the man an understanding smile. "I understand you and her mother were really close friends."

Pilaf nodded. "I loved that woman," he stated before growing nervous. "Not like that, but you know what I mean. I never thought that my younger brother could ever do something like that to a child, her child. He had loved her so much. With all of this…I regret introducing the two of them. Mai never deserved this."

"You couldn't have known," Bulma consoled. "To be honest, not that I ever went through what she has, but my mother sometimes regretted bringing my father into my life, but then I remind her that I have my family. I have to believe there was a purpose for what I went through to keep moving on. The experience I have and the people in my life because of it outshine the pain. Mai will heal, and one day she'll have the same mentality. She has a family now."

"Yeah," Pilaf agreed. "I'm glad she met your boy. I've seen them. He respects her so much. You raised a good kid."

"I appreciate that," Bulma chimed. "Still, even though I know my son, he never ceases to amaze me." At that moment, the front door opened, and Bulma's expression lit up. That meant Vegeta was home. "Excuse me for a moment."

Bulma went to meet her boyfriend, the man setting down his briefcase and loosening his tie. His eyes landed on Bulma as she approached him and wrapped her arms around him. He was startled by the fluttering feeling in his chest as Bulma leaned her head against his chest. In response, he rested his hand on her shoulder lightly squeezing. "How was the rest of your day?" she asked him. "Was it okay that I left early?"

"Meetings are much better now that the conflict is no longer present," Vegeta replied making Bulma nod against him. "Do you need help with anything?"

"I've got it, hun," Bulma murmured, her arms tightening around him. "You rest for a little bit. From what Trunks said, it sounds like we're having a full house tonight."

"Great," Vegeta muttered, but he smirked slightly. "Save me a dance, woman."

"Always."

Vegeta went upstairs leaving Bulma behind to pick up his briefcase and put it in the closet. She then returned to Pilaf who was smiling at her and staring intently. "What?"

"Nothing," Pilaf chuckled. "It's just that I'm really glad that Mai finally has an example of what real love is. I could have never picked a better place for her to be, and I'm so glad that my failure didn't cost her her life."

"You didn't fail her," Bulma conveyed. "Zarbon did. Mai told us that she knew. You did try to get custody of her, but Zarbon threatened you with her life if you went for custody."

"How did she know that?" Pilaf questioned.

"Zarbon told her himself," Bulma scoffed before smiling again, "but none of that matters now. Now she gets to be an actual teenager. Now, why don't we finished getting things ready? I have no idea when their classmates are scheduled to arrive."

Pilaf agreed. It was time to focus on the future.

* * *

Later, once night had hit, the haunted looking house was full of rowdy, excited students. Music was blaring, though most of Bulma's neighbors that could hear the party ended up asking if they could join in instead of reporting them for the noise. It was more crowded than Vegeta had expected, though simple touches from Bulma as she passed him by, even a graze to the shoulder seemed to steal his focus. He couldn't wait until she was out of hostess mode, once everyone was settled in. He wanted to steal her for a dance.

His mother had shown up a bit earlier to help with setting up for the party. Bulma and Pilaf had done quite a bit, but there were still some little things, Kalina had assisted with. Not wanting to really interact with her, Vegeta had gone to talk with Trunks before the rest of his teenaged entourage showed up. Trunks was so thrilled and he actually came out and thanked Vegeta for letting him have the party, as if he knew that he and Bulma had come to the decision together. Ultimately, Vegeta assumed the boy would be thankful to his mother for the party, but he did realize that had he really been against it, Bulma and Trunks would have dropped the issue. However, being thanked for something seemingly so trivial did something to Vegeta's insides. In a strange way, he felt honored. That alone was worth all the drama and the crowd. Despite the reality Trunks had faced these past couple of months, he could still be a kid. Vegeta wanted that for him.

Tarble had arrived with Gure, Bulma finally meeting the woman. The mother noticed Tarble holding her son's counselor's hand and a knowing smile appeared on her face. The two of them spoke for a while, Bulma apologizing for having not had the time to actually meet with her as she planned, but Gure understood all of the chaos that has passed and agreed to meet with Bulma about Trunks whenever she was able to make an appointment. But, of course, she assumed her brother was dating the woman and, though it surprised her, she was very happy for him and her and told them both so. Tarble was instantly nervous, rubbing the back of his head and awkwardly chuckling, but he looked so incredibly happy, happier than she had seen him in a long time. From what Trunks said, Gure was a very kind woman. She wouldn't hurt her brother as he had been in the past. She made sure that Gure knew that she was always welcome into her home.

Meanwhile, Launch and Bunny had come around the same time, and exchanged pleasantries, but neither had much to say about each other. Trunks caught sight of the two of them out of the corner of his eye and excused himself from conversation with some of his football buddies. He walked up to his grandmothers with a smile on his face, prepared to get them mingling. "Hey guys!" he chimed.

"Oh, Trunks, you look adorable," Bunny said happily when she saw her grandson. He deadpanned at that and she chuckled and corrected herself. "I mean very handsome. You're a pirate?"

"Yuh huh," he replied. "Mai is a gypsy, and we felt the costumes would go well together."

"A couple's costume?" Launch questioned. "You mean, the two of you are dating."

Trunks nodded and decided to tread carefully. Launch didn't try to be, but she was always very skeptical. The teenager was reminded of a story his mother told him where his namesake gave her the third degree when she was in high school and was planning to go to Goku's house where the two of them would be alone. They weren't doing anything, and their parents trusted them, but Bulma's father was very distrustful over a young boy and girl being alone, even for just an hour. It would have been a reasonable concern if his mother and Goku weren't just friends back that, but Bulma had told her father he had no right to ask which pissed the man off immensely. "We are," he stated honestly. "It's kind of a new development. We've just gone on a couple dates so far. No need to rush into things."

"That's very responsible," Bunny assured the boy. "The two of you have been through so much in such a short time."

Trunks smiled and nodded to his Gramma. "Yeah. Neither of us wanted to rush into anything, and I hadn't said anything in so long because I didn't want her to feel pressured. Thankfully, she's safe now."

Launch still had a question reeling in her mind, but she bit her tongue. Her grandson by marriage looked very happy, and he was a good kid. She could always ask Bulma about it another day. For now, it was the kids' night to have fun. She looked up and out at the living room, which was acting as the dance floor, and saw Mai talking with one of the girls she had seen at Trunks's birthday parties and one she didn't know. "Well, it looks like she's having fun," she observed. "That's that girl who is usually with your friend, Goten, right?"

"Yup, that's Valese," Trunks confirmed looking at the girls, "dressed like an angel. The girl with them is Videl, and she dressed like a martial artist. She didn't want to go costume shopping, so she just wore one of her gis. And Goten and Gohan are around here somewhere, probably getting some food. Goten's a werewolf, and Gohan's a ninja."

Bunny's smile softened as she asked, "How is Goten doing? Your mother told me what happened."

Launch had no idea what the other woman was talking about. Of course, she didn't know as much about Goku's family, just enough about Goku himself. Bulma didn't go into detail when Goten went to the hospital, simply informing the woman that she and Trunks were visiting him, so Launch had assumed he had had an issue similar to his father, but other than that she knew hardly anything about the daily happenings.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice full of concern.

Trunks expression grew serious as he looked down at the floor before his eyes met Grannie Launch's. "It's okay," he told her. "Nothing really happened. Goten had an episode, but I really don't want to talk about it. It's past, and he's doing much better and happier, so I just don't want to go back there." He then smiled at the two of them. "Besides, I've gotta go find them anyhow. The guys from the team were asking where they disappeared to as well. Later!"

Trunks ran off into the crowd, leaving the two women behind. They exchanged glances, Launch's questioning. "Are they really okay?" she asked Bunny.

The other woman was stunned that Launch was asking her anything, but it was a good sign. She had never wanted a bad relationship with the woman. Trunks had lied to her, too, telling her that she was a one night stand, but when Bunny didn't confirm that, any peace that could have been had between the two women went down the drain. Since Trunks had passed and Launch was a part of her daughter's life, Bunny had tried to reach out and be kind, because, for Bulma's and Tarble's sake, it was best if they just got along and put the past in the past. Of course, it wasn't always easy when you weren't being met halfway. This was a good start, though, and hopefully it would bridge the gap between them.

"They are," she assured the woman. "It was bad when it happened, and now Goten and his family are being diligent. Plus, I hear Goten is dating Valese now, and she's very understanding to his condition. He's been very calm lately."

"These kids…" Launch murmured. "Should they really be dating when they have so much going on, and should Trunks and Mai be dating while they're living under the same roof?"

"I already knew about the two of them," Bunny confessed to the woman, and Launch was shocked. "Nothing that you're worried about is going on. They're young, and they're really just spending time together. Mai hasn't had a real family since she was little, and so Trunks is always just trying to make her smile. This is the first holiday she's celebrating in such a long time. Neither of them are rushing into the complicated parts of a relationship, and if they were, I have no doubt that he'd talk to my daughter or even Vegeta. Trunks really looks up to him."

Launch nodded, accepting that she needed to trust that, but then that reminded her of something else. "It doesn't bother you that your daughter is dating her boss?"

Bunny shook her head. "You'd have to see them together to really understand, and I don't mean tonight surrounded by a crowd of people, but when it's them and the family. I've never seen Bulma this happy with a man, even Goku and she was in love with him for the majority of their younger years."

"Does Vegeta have a problem with Goku?"

"No," Bunny said with a smile. "No, he trusts Bulma. Besides, Vegeta has been friends with Raditz, Goku's brother, for a long time, and so he understands that importance of their friendship. When they were looking for Goten the other day, Vegeta assisted. He knows that Bulma loves Goku as her best friend. They've been friends since childhood, after all, but he knows that Bulma is with him and only him. He's a very good man."

Again, Launch nodded her acceptance. She figured she'd have to see it for herself, like Bunny stated, but part of her already knew. Vegeta was definitely a good man. He hadn't had to come and see her when she had expressed her concerns about their dating to Bulma. To be honest, she had been very impressed with her boss that day, though she was still leery about their dating. Still, after all he had done for her stepdaughter and grandson, she could definitely accept it.

* * *

 _Why did I even come here?_

That was the question Paigen kept asking herself as she sat down on the couch. No one was really thrilled with her presence, and each time she tried to talk to a classmate she recognized, they'd walk away after glaring at her. She really was trying to better herself, and she did agree she deserved this to some extent, but she was trying and no one would give her a chance.

Well, she had been given a chance by Goten and his friends. That's why she was invited. She tried to avoid them, though, not being able to keep facing what she had done. Besides, it wasn't like they were looking for her either. She didn't mind. She had hurt them the most, so she didn't expect for them to be friends with her. It was nice enough that Trunks allowed Goten to invite her to begin with. Still, as she was being ignored and judged, she realized she probably should have just stayed home.

The redhead felt really out of place there, so she just stayed in the corner, seated on the couch. She could seem many couples dancing to the techno beat. Trunks and Mai looked like they were having fun. It actually made Paigen smile. She had been blackmailing them, but now that the truth of Mai's past was out there, she was glad the girl who used to pal around with her was finally cutting loose. That girl deserved the freedom.

She even saw Gohan dancing with Videl. Her mind went back to when the teenager had said that neither he nor his brother were allowed to date anyone. She recognized their parents being there, so she knew that was a load of crap, but she now understood that everyone had been trying to protect Gohan. They all knew what her persistence could do to him. She did not.

Even after she learned about his condition, she didn't think it was serious. Everyone had anxiety or could feel depressed. She knew that she did from time to time, and distracting herself by screwing around with others' lives had kind of helped. It was wrong, but it's not like her parents were ever around to talk to. Hell, she would have settled for one parent. Trunks seemed to be doing okay with one, although she could see his mother dancing with her boyfriend. It seemed like everyone was happy and having a good time.

Of course, as she looked towards the door thinking once again that maybe she should leave, she saw Goten dancing with Valese. The two of them weren't in time with the beat, just holding each other close and bouncing gently to the music. Their foreheads were pressed together, and the two were simply gazing into each other's eyes and smiling as if they were having a secret conversation. Paigen frowned guiltily and looked down to her folded hands. She was such a bitch for having tried to get between them. She had almost screwed that up for them, and she could see now in that one, simple moment, that Goten was truly meant to be with Valese. What she did…Goten must have been so devastated to have thought about… No, no…she refused to let her mind think about it. If she did, she knew she'd have to leave. No one needed to see her upset.

"Hi!"

Paigen jumped and looked over to the cushion beside her. A dark-haired guy from the football team, Connor if she remembered correctly, had chosen to sit down beside her. "Are…are you talking to me?"

The boy smirked playfully at her and said, "What would you do if I said I was?"

That stupid joke of his actually made Paigen laugh and feel kind of good, a rarity for her. "Nothing, really, except maybe think you were crazy," she teased. "If you haven't realized, I'm basically the town pariah here."

"Pariah, huh?" Connor repeated. "That word sounds cool. What's it mean?"

Paigen chuckled again and shook her head. "An outcast," she answered, making Connor frown.

"You're not an outcast," Conner countered before grinning. "You just haven't gotten out there."

"I really don't want to," Paigen muttered before her stomach growled out of nowhere.

Conner grinned and stood up. "I'll be right back. Sounds like you need something to eat."

"I-I can get my own-" Connor was already in the kitchen before she could finish her statement, and Paigen's brow furrowed in confusion. What was this guy's deal? No one was talking to her, but he took it upon himself to do so. Was this a trap? Was he planning to embarrass her? Did she do something to him and not know it and now he was bent on revenge? Or, was he really just this nice guy going out of his way to be friendly towards her and she was overthinking?

He returned not too long after with a large plate of a little bit of everything and a glass of some bright, green liquid. "I didn't know what you liked," he stated, "so I got a bit of everything. There's sweet and sour meatballs, roast beast, rotisserie chicken, and then just candy, chips, and dip. Also a brownie, a cookie, and a cupcake. I also grabbed you some of the spooky punch. It looks totally gross, but tastes fantastic."

Paigen blinked at the boy. "Did you just call it 'roast beast?'"

"Yeah, like in the Grinch," Connor laughed. "I asked Trunks about it, and that's what he called it. He said his mother grew up calling it that with her family, and I thought it was fun, especially since it's also kind of Halloween themed. But anyway, try it. The food's great. The one thing I didn't get you was the salad, cause, you know, it's Halloween. Junk food central."

"Thank you," Paigen said as she started eating. She could feel Conner watching as she ate all of the different foods. It made her feel really self-conscious. Then she made it to the sweet and sour meatballs and thought it was amazing. "Oh my God…who made these?"

"Goten's and Gohan's mother," Connor stated. "Trunks said his mom normally makes them for like the Super Bowl and stuff, but the recipe came from Goku's mother, and so to help out their mother made them and brought them over."

"Their families really are close, huh?"

Connor nodded. "Mm hm. Apparently their parents have been friends since grade school, well, their father and Trunks's mother."

"O-Oh?" Paigen replied, stunned. It made sense why they were so close now, and she was once again reminded of the hell she put all of them and their families through. At least that was over. She would never again try to get in the way of their friendship or any other relationships. Paigen looked over at the clock and realized it was getting late. The party would be over soon. She was astonished. Before, time was moving so slowly, and now that she was talking to some and it flew. She looked at the smiling boy next to her warily. "Why?" she asked. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

Connor looked confused. "Should I not be nice to you?"

Paigen scoffed a derisive chuckle. "Come on, Connor…you know Trunks _and_ Goten. You have to know by now what I did. Why would you even bother with the likes of me?"

"You know my name?" he asked, sounding surprised before his brows furrowed together. "Paigen, yeah, a lot of us know what you did, but we also know that you're here and that you were invited. Goten and Trunks wouldn't have invited you if they hadn't forgiven you on some level, so you can't be all bad. If that was the case, I didn't want you to be alone and discouraged. You have to be a good person deep down, and so far you haven't proven me wrong."

Paigen's eyes widened at the boy's words. His analysis never really crossed her mind. She didn't really grasp that Trunks and Goten were choosing to forgive her for the past. She didn't think she could be forgiven. Sure, they didn't want anything to do with her, but at least they were giving her the grounds to move forward. They were giving her another chance not to cause them hell, but they were also giving her a chance to interact with their classmates and show them that she wasn't just this horrible person bent on ruining lives. Somehow, this boy had gotten the message and actually given her the chance to move forward.

It was then she officially decided. Gone were the days of screwing with people's heads and lives, making them as miserable as she felt. Speaking to Connor like this made her really happy, more so then when she had had Goten over at her house. She understood that she was craving attention, even negative attention then. No, she chose this moment, here and now, to become a better person. She liked the positive attention way more than the negative.

* * *

After the party, Trunks and his friends spent the time cleaning up after the team. Thankfully they didn't leave too much of a mess. The lavender-haired teen saw his mother and Vegeta moving to clean up the kitchen. "Hey, guys," he called to them, earning their attention. "You don't need to do that. We've got the cleanup. You two just go relax."

"Yeah," Gohan agreed. "We can handle this. It was our team who made the mess. Thanks again for letting us do this. One of our other teammates agreed to have the party at his place next year."

"Hn," Vegeta grunted before he and Bulma went to say goodbye to the adults.

Bulma and Goku talked for a little bit, and the father agreed to have his two kids spend the night to help with the cleanup. He hugged Bulma tightly and thanked her for doing this, for making a fun night for both of his boys. Bulma hugged him back tightly and said, "Anytime."

Once they all left, Bulma and Vegeta were left alone with the six teenagers. Valese texted her father asking if she could stay over at Trunks's and Mai's place since she was helping them out. He was fine with it, as was Bulma. The mother then asked of Videl needed a ride home. Videl wanted to stay too, but Bulma wanted to make sure it was okay with her father. The teenager scoffed and said her father didn't get a say in what she did for he was always out of town. Bulma still presses the teenager to contact her father, so Videl did text the man asking if it was okay if she stayed at a friend's house, careful not to mention that there were any guys there. He claimed that he was fine with it, so Bulma was then okay with allowing her to stay as well.

After the boys were settled in Trunks's room and the girls were settled in Mai's, Bulma and Vegeta went out onto the balcony to just sit and enjoy the fall night. Bulma had grabbed them a couple of pumpkin ales that had been well-hidden in the fridge, and the two clinked the bottles together. "Well," she sighed happily, "that went well, don't cha think?"

Vegeta snorted a laugh. "Yeah, sure."

"You okay?" Bulma questioned. "You seemed to enjoy the party. I thought…"

"It wasn't the party, Bulma," Vegeta assured her. "That actually wasn't so bad. My mother…"

Bulma instantly felt sympathy for her boyfriend and turned to face him, putting her drink aside. "How do you feel?" she questioned. "I mean, having had her there."

Vegeta answered with a shake of his head. "It was difficult," he admitted. "Letting her back into my life…it's complicated. It was fine when everyone was in a crowd, but any time she got me alone, I just wanted to either fight with her or run from her, and nothing in between. Whenever I went into the kitchen for food or out the front door to get some air, she found me and my stomach churned with such rage and animosity. It's why I stuck to you like glue until she left."

Bulma smiled at that, and she was happy that she was able to provide Vegeta with some protection, even if it was just emotional protection, like he had provided her these last few months. He was trying so hard to get on better terms with his mother, but it was still a fight, one Bulma was familiar with given who her father and stepmother were. "I'm very proud of you," she told him, her voice full of sincerity and love. Vegeta's guarded eyes met her bright ones, and she smiled. "At least you're trying to let her back into your life. It's a process, Vegeta, and so very difficult and hardly anyone else understands, but I do. The fact that you invited her here tonight, however forced it may have felt, was the first step in the right direction, and you are so unbelievably strong to have done that. It's so easy to push someone who hurt you out of your life, but much, much harder to allow that person back into it."

Vegeta didn't respond right away, his eyes searching hers for something. He must have found it, whatever it was, and then looked out into the night sky. "I think you're right," he admitted. Bulma's smile softened as she reached for his hand, the two of them looking out into the night sky watching the fall leaves blow around in the wind. For that moment, they were very tranquil.


	37. Chapter 36

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

Vegeta was woken up from a deep sleep to the sound of a ringing cell phone. He peeked his eyes open to look at the clock surprised to see that it was two in the morning. His brows furrowed. Bulma never got a call this late before, not at two. Who on Earth would be calling her now?

Next to him, Bulma was trying to escape his hold without waking him. He closed his eyes, not wanting to bring attention to the fact that he was awake. When she finally got free, she looked at her phone and answered it, starting to head out of the room. He did hear her whisper Goku's name faintly. He could hear her feet quietly padding down the stairs.

After she left the room, Vegeta decided to get up and follow suit. Her voice had sounded surprised and slightly frantic. He wanted to find out what was going on, make sure that she and her friend we okay. Bulma had told him that, back in the day, she or Goku would have difficult nights and they'd call each other when they couldn't handle it. It had happened less and less over the years, since neither of them could stay awake all night anymore, and Goku had Chi Chi and now Bulma had him. If Goku was calling her in the middle of the night, something was happening, and Vegeta would be there for Bulma if that were the case. He knew his woman would stress herself out with worry.

"Goku, listen," he heard Bulma's calm voice sooth. "It was just a nightmare. You said it yourself. You went and checked on Goten and he's fine, asleep in bed like you should be."

" _You don't know how horrible it was, though,"_ Goku argued. _"I know he's okay right now…but, Bulma, I just don't know what to do."_

"For now you just have to keep telling yourself it was a bad dream," Bulma explained. "I can come meet you during my lunch break tomorrow and we can talk. We haven't seen Krillin in a while, not since the day after Halloween. We can go for sushi and you can tell me all about what happened."

" _Yeah,"_ Goku replied, sighing. _"That sounds like a good idea. I'm sorry I woke you, just…I didn't want to tell Chi Chi this. I didn't want her to worry."_

"She'd be telling you now what I am," Bulma declared. "You know she loves you. I just gotta ask for records sake, but you've been taking your medication still, right?"

" _Really, Bulma?"_ Goku deadpanned. She could almost see the look on his face. _"Oh course I am. I won't stop it, not like when we were in college. I know better now, especially after what happened with Goten."_

"Alright, alright," Bulma responded. "I just had to ask. You know that's a go to question. Anyway, try to get some rest. You know I worry about you."

Goku sighed. _"Yeah, I know."_

"And I love you and just want you to be happy, so I'm going to keep asking questions like that," Bulma iterated.

" _I know, I know,"_ her friend replied with a huff. _"You should get some rest, too. I'm sorry again."_

"You don't have to apologize," Bulma assured him. "I get it. Believe me, I get it. Night, Son."

" _Night, B."_

Bulma ended the call and set her phone down, releasing a heavy breath. She felt bad for her friend. All he had really told her was that he had had a horrible nightmare about something happening to his son, and after he woke up, even after making sure he was okay, he couldn't get back to sleep and had this horribly anxious feeling. He hadn't wanted to go into details, not right now, which is why she suggested taking their lunch break together the next day. Goku needed to talk about it or it would haunt him forever, whatever it was.

Out of nowhere, she heard steady footsteps and jolted slightly. She looked over to see Vegeta entering the dining room. He had startled her, but she quickly got over her surprise and smiled guiltily at him. "I guess I woke you," she figured. "I'm sorry, hun."

"It's fine," Vegeta remarked, taking a seat next to her. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, for the most part," she told him, looking down at her phone. "Everything's okay."

"Are you okay?"

Bulma was shocked by the question, he blue eyes meeting his. She could see the faint tint of concern, letting her know that Vegeta probably heard everything on her end. All she could do was offer him a sad smile. "Yeah, I'm okay."

Vegeta didn't buy it. He could tell that Bulma was trying to play off her own anxiety. She had confided in him many times before that she feared losing those around her. With everything that had happened in the past months, Trunks running away, him spending a night in jail while she stayed with Mai, and Goten's disappearance, Bulma had been very on edge. Halloween had been a good distraction for her, but, now that they were heading towards the end of November, she was focusing on the real world again.

Bulma tensed when she felt Vegeta's arms wrap around her, but quickly relaxed and leaned into his comforting embrace. He didn't let go of her, hugging her tightly, save only to lead them to the couch. After they sat down, Bulma curled into him, and he hugged her again, this time rubbing her back to soothe her. He found the remote on the end table next to him and put on the television on a low volume. Bulma watched the images on the screen while being slightly lost in thought, but eventually Vegeta's reassuring touch lulled her to sleep.

When her breathing was soft and even, Vegeta chanced a glance and was relieved to see her asleep. He studied her, gaze hardened yet eyes soft. Bulma was truly one who loved deeply and worried intensely when those she loved were hurt, stressed, or fearful. It was one of the traits of hers that he both admired and detested. Her heart was what had drawn him to feel for her the way he did, but that same heart could be hurt so easily. He wished he could take all those fears and all that pain away from her. At least his presence could console her. It did make him feel good when he was able to make her feel better. She had done so much more for him. She had taken on his pain, as well, and she had given him a place where he felt at home. This was the least he could do.

* * *

The next day, around lunch time, Bulma and Goku met up at the sushi restaurant. Krillin had gotten them their usual orders and sat them at a table away from the majority of the other customers. Apparently, Bulma wasn't the only person Goku had called the previous night.

They were practically alone, though they couldn't be fully out of sight from the other restaurant patrons. It was okay, though, because they were talking so quietly. No one else would be able to hear them, especially with the soothing music playing from the speakers above. "So," Bulma started, "want to tell me what last night was all about?"

Goku's head dropped in defeat as he released a heavy sigh. "Yeah," he stated, though he didn't sound too sure. "Bulma…I know it's stupid, but I just can't help being worried. We've been on Goten now, making sure he takes his medicine. Me and him have actually been taking our meds together, so I know he hasn't been throwing them away. Just…that nightmare…what happened to my dad, it happened to Goten."

"Oh, Goku," Bulma empathized. She remembered how horrible that whole experience was for Goku. When his father had called out for help, both Gine and Goku had gone to aid him and saw everything that happened. It was traumatic for her friend. To relive it in his nightmares happening to his son was awful.

Bulma pulled Goku close to her and wrapped an arm around him rubbing his back for a little while before moving to pet his head. When they were younger and Goku had been released from the hospital, she would do this simply to keep him calm and relaxed, and usually Goku fell asleep on her. Over the years, he no longer passed out the same way he had, but it still had a calming effect, and so he lied his head down on the table and just let the comfort wash over him though as he stared out into space Bulma could see that he looked so sad and distant.

"Goku, listen to me," she said, her voice full of promise, "that's never going to happen. We didn't know anything back then about these conditions. We know now what the risks are, and it's just never going to happen. You remember all we've been through, you trying all those different medications, and then having to increase it as you got older, but you stayed on it and didn't stop taking it, and you've been doing so much better now than ever. With Goten, we just have to go through that same process, and where it was hard for you yourself to go through it, it's even more difficult to watch your own kid go through it, so having a bad dream or two makes sense. But Goten is okay, now. He's talking to you guys and Trunks more about it. I know because Trunks has been keeping me in the loop. Goten's not going to stop taking his medication. His friends won't let him, and neither will you or Chi Chi. It's good that you guys are going through it together, because now both of you know that beyond a shadow of a doubt that you aren't alone."

"Yeah," Goku said, finally cracking a smile. "You're right. Thanks, B. I don't know how I got so lucky for the two of us to still be friends after all this time, all these years."

"Funny," Bulma cooed. "I always think the same about you, Son."

Goku finally sat up and grinned down at his friend. "Hm. Let's eat. I'm starving!"

Bulma laughed jovially at that and took out her chopsticks. Unbeknownst to them, however, there was someone lurking around taking pictures catching everything that had happened on film.

* * *

Raditz had had a good day, and he meant a really good day. Stocks were up with the company and, now that funds were balanced, Vegeta had given him a well-deserved raise as well as rewarding some of the other higher ups. He had gone to Lime, who had also gotten a raise. She deserved it, after all, for sales had been better than ever since she had been promoted to their leading sales rep. The two had decided to go out and celebrate.

He returned to his apartment after dropping her off at her home, and he offered to pay for the babysitter. Lime had told him he didn't have to do it, but he wanted to. After all, he was the one who kept the mother out an extra hour. Everything had been looking up.

When he got home, however, he was met with the sight of something that put a damper on his good mood.

There was an envelope sticking out of the door, so he decided to see what it was. Inside the little portfolio were a ton of pictures of his brother out with Bulma. His eyes widened before his brow furrowed in anger. Who was sending him these?

There was a note folder under the pictures, so Raditz quickly opened it to read, _"This is what your girlfriend does when you're not around."_

Raditz was infuriated at the caption. How dare someone do anything like this? They didn't know anything about his brother's and Bulma's friendship. If Bulma was doing this with Goku in public, there was a reason. His brother was probably suffering over something. He couldn't believe someone would try to use this as a way to taunt Vegeta. Clearly whoever took the pictures didn't know that Vegeta had moved in with Bulma.

Speaking of, he needed to tell Vegeta. Someone was trying to interfere with his and Bulma's relationship. Quickly, he went inside tossing the pictures on the coffee table as he took out his phone and dialed. "Hey. Can you come over? Something's come up."

About a half hour later, Vegeta arrived at his old apartment having borrowed Bulma's car. He knew he shouldn't be driving, but Raditz had sounded off when he called, so he wanted to waste no time. Raditz had told him it could wait until after dinner, so he ate as quickly as he could while being with his family. Dinner with them was important to them. Family meals when he was younger were nothing like it, and so he tried to experience that as much as possible. Still, he knew Raditz was upset over something. Why else would he call him over?

Apparently, to show him pictures of his girlfriend having lunch with his brother.

Vegeta looked at the pictures not at all bothered. Bulma had been very open and honest with him about Goku. She told him what she and Goku had talked about thinking Vegeta had already known about their father through his friendship with Raditz. That got them into a long discussion about when they were fifteen and the things she had to do to keep her friend calm. He hadn't been out of the hospital long before his father made the attempt on his own life. Goku had been a mess, and Bulma was there for him. To hear what happened made Vegeta realize just how much these people and his own friend had been through, and he was even more thankful that Raditz had been willing to take him on as a project all those years ago while dealing with his own family issues.

The point was, he knew how close Bulma was to that family, and the photos did not bother him. What did bother him was that someone had taken them in the first place and then left them at his old apartment. He had a feeling as to who it was. He had not advertised at work his new living arrangements, and he hadn't changed his address until he had officially moved in after the chaos of Trunks's case was over. "Hn, ridiculous," Vegeta scoffed. "My guess is Paragus saw them and is still out to cause havoc in our lives. All his attempts have failed."

"I just can't believe it," Raditz growled. "I can't even imagine what they were talking about there."

"He had a nightmare the night before about something happening to his son," Vegeta explained. "He called in the middle of the night and they agreed to meet up."

"Shit," Raditz murmured. "I should probably check up on him."

"It was just a nightmare, and he knows that now," Vegeta assured his friend. "At least that's what Bulma said when I asked her how things went."

"That's a relief," Raditz sighed. "So, what do you want to do about this?"

"Nothing," Vegeta remarked, shocking Raditz. "It's best to ignore him," Vegeta explained. "I refuse to give him his desired result. Besides, that wouldn't have happened, anyway. I know Bulma, and I've met your brother. He's a good guy. Neither of them need to think they're being followed on top of everything else."

"Point taken," Raditz agreed. "Bulma would panic, and my brother would be constantly looking over his shoulder. I'm sure this was a freak thing, like you said, where someone, probably Paragus, just happened to see them at a restaurant. If it happens again, though, I'll let you know."

Vegeta nodded in consonance to his friend. There was no need, at this time, to ring alarm bells. Vegeta would keep an eye out himself for any future discrepancies. He wasn't going to react to this blatant taunt. He wouldn't do anything that could potentially put either Bulma's or Goku's mental states at risk.

* * *

The days that followed were peaceful and without incident, and it was getting much closer to Thanksgiving. Vegeta hadn't celebrated any holidays in years, but Thanksgiving was one of those he had given up long before college. Where he had been thankful for Ella, he never wanted to celebrate, and then after she had been taken away he felt like there was nothing to be thankful for. Life was one thing, but he was miserable back then. Now, he was part of a family, and he wasn't going to push his agenda on Trunks or Mai. Besides, the girl, like him, had barely celebrated anything since her mother died. The two of them were experiencing this family togetherness for the first time in years.

"So, let's get a head count for Thanksgiving," she said to Vegeta. "My mother is coming, as is Launch. Tarble is bringing Gure with him. Goku and his family are coming over, including his mother and Raditz, and Lime is coming too with her kids. And then Pilaf and Valese's father are coming. Krillin and Eighteen might stop by with their daughter for dessert. And I think that's it. Anyone else you want to invite?"

"Just my mother," Vegeta huffed. "Maybe Nappa."

"We can invite people from work?" Bulma questioned.

Vegeta nodded. "Nappa was good friends with my father, much like I am with Raditz, and he's tolerable. He can chat with my mother the majority of the time for all I care. As many buffers as possible. Anyway, why do you ask?"

"Well," Bulma hesitated. "I was thinking…maybe we could invite Broly?"

Dark eyes widened a fraction, but as he thought about it he understood why Bulma would want to invite their quiet coworker. It had been rough on him, the past month. After Paragus had been fired, Vegeta heard the office mumblings that Paragus had disowned his own son. He and Bulma had eaten some of their lunches with Broly, and he did seem down in the dumps. "Sure," Vegeta agreed. "Why not?"

Bulma smiled at her boyfriend before she moved to kiss him on the cheek. She then looked at the dining room table and frowned. Including the kids, they would have twenty-seven people. "This is going to be a challenge, isn't it?" she asked before she joked, "I think we need to invest in a bigger table."

Though it was partly a joke, Vegeta honestly agreed with her. With all of their friends and family, it would get crowded at times. He quickly looked between the kitchen and living room to get the dimensions of the dining area. If they found a large table, they would be able to fit it in the dining room, though it still wouldn't fit everyone. If they moved the coffee table, though, then they could fit a long folding table in the living room where the kids and teenagers could sit.

"We could go to a furniture store tonight after work and find something if you would like." Vegeta turned to gage Bulma's reaction only to find the woman gaping at him. His brow furrowed in confusion. He then realized what her train of thought might have been and smirked. "It will be the first piece of furniture we buy together and all, so I would like to make sure it's suitable and fits our needs."

Bulma's expression softened, and tears formed in her eyes. Seeing the unshed droplets made Vegeta feel a little uneasy. She just laughed and wiped the drops away. "Ha, sorry," she murmured. "You know, I used to blame my sensitivity, empathy, and overemotional nature on my increased hormones, and then years after the surgery and going through the menopause, I found that I was still just an emotional sap. I'm not sure I like it."

Vegeta couldn't help but grin at her words, moving to embrace her and kissing her lips lovingly. He pulled away, pressing his lips to her cheek and whispering, "I find it endearing on you, woman. It just gives me another excuse to hold you close in my arms and kiss away your tears." To prove his point, Vegeta did just that, using his lips to wipe away the salty trickles. In response, Bulma wrapped her arms around him so tightly, not wanting to let him go. That was fine with Vegeta because he didn't want her to.

* * *

After work, Bulma, Vegeta, and the kids headed to the furniture store where they had bought Mai's bedroom furniture. The kids were off exploring while she and Vegeta were being shown large dining tables. The salesperson was failing to show them what they needed, so Vegeta wandered away while Bulma tried to explain what they needed to the man.

He looked up to see Mai and Trunks running around the store. It was practically empty, being close to dark. They looked like they were having fun, and he couldn't help but smirk even when the few people who were in the store looked at the children with disdain. He shook his head and continued his task.

It was towards the back of the store where he found a beautiful, large, dark brown table. It appeared to have eighteen seats. If Vegeta was correct, there was in fact eighteen adults present. The table was big enough to seat twenty if that ever came up. It would be perfect for hosting events. It surprised Vegeta that he even wanted to be involved in hosting. He had to admit that the Halloween party went a lot better than he expected.

"Bulma," he called out quite loudly, earning her and the kids' attention. "I think I found something."

Bulma headed over with the salesperson, and Trunks and Mai joined them. Trunks let out a whistle when he saw the size of the table. "Whoa," he breathed out. "This thing's massive."

"Will it fit in the apartment?" Mai asked sounding uncertain.

"It will," Vegeta remarked, looking over to Bulma. "What do you think?"

His girlfriend smiled brightly at him and nodded, looking to the salesperson. "Can we arrange having this delivered tomorrow morning? We won't be home in the evening."

"Sure, we can do that," the salesman agreed. "Why don't you and your husband come pay and fill out the paperwork."

Bulma's eyes widened comically before she chuckled and shifted her attention to a blushing Vegeta. "Hn," was all Vegeta said, not correcting the salesman at all.

* * *

The next day was a pretty exciting day, and not because the new table was delivered. It was the night of the final football game at the high school, and everyone was there cheering in the stands for Trunks, Goten, and Gohan. It was getting pretty crazy in the stadium, the score just below the other team's. The end of the game was near, and Goten had the ball.

There were too many running at him, but Goten's attention shifted to his brother, the two making eye contact as he tossed the ball. The guys didn't even make contact, their attention following the ball and allowing Goten to escape. They immediately tried to chase down Gohan, but he was too fast for his opponents, though if he didn't do something quick, he'd end up out of bounds.

Gohan heard Trunks call for him, somehow. He looked over to see his friend completely free. He tossed the ball to Trunks who managed to get it to Goten who had made it up to the goal. Thanks to the three of them and their teamwork, the game was won without a second to spare.

The families decided to celebrate at a pizza place right after the game. It was a whole lot of fun being with everyone. Of course, Vegeta had pulled Trunks aside to not only say he was proud of him and his friends, but that the one moment he got tackled that night his mother had a mini conniption. Needless to say, Trunks was teasing his mother about it the rest of the night, the woman's eyes finding Vegeta and narrowing. He merely smirked, knowing he was caught, but he didn't mind. She didn't seem to mind Trunks's teasing either. The feelings he had been having these last weeks were hitting him hard this night. _This was what it truly feels like to be a part of a family._


	38. Chapter 37

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Sorry, everyone, for quite the lengthy time between updates. It's starting to get to that point mainly because I've been trying to complete older stories and get other stories going again. It's possible that most stuff will be updated monthly at this point, however, if I meet all of my personal goals for the week, I'll continue to work on stocking up on multiple chapters ;) Anyway, I hope you've all been well and that you all enjoy!

* * *

Vegeta stared at the television, arms crossed as he watched the unusual program strangely. He had been used to his mother's Thanksgiving Day tradition of watching the parade each year, but right after the parade, Bulma had changed the program to an annual dog show. Never in his life had Vegeta ever spent hours watching both the normal and strange looking dogs being led around and put on display. He wondered why Bulma was so fascinated by such a program, and when he asked she just explained that she had watched the dog show every year since her father's mother had pointed it out to her. Thankfully, it would be over soon, and best in show would be decided. Vegeta needed the action of football. If this didn't end soon, he was hitting the liquor early.

"The American beagle is going to win."

The brooding male looked over to his girlfriend's best friend, and he was wearing a knowing smile. It had been a while since the two men had talked. Vegeta scoffed that this dragging dog show was the topic of conversation. "How could you possibly know that?"

Goku grinned. "Vet assistant, remember? I've seen a ton of breed, and I know what they look for when they're judging. Anyway, just call it a hunch."

"Sure," Vegeta sighed. "How much longer?"

"About another hour," Goku empathized. "I forgot to warn you."

"Warn me?" Vegeta chuckled.

"I love dogs as much as the next one," Goku started, smiling fondly, "but unlike Bulma I can't dedicate three hours to sitting and watching them, though I guess it's good background noise for her while she's cooking. Bulma's the kind of person who needs background noise, but I'm sure you figured that out already."

Vegeta grunted an affirmative. Bulma did not like the silence. Well, she did when it was just the two of them, but if she was doing work in bed or even at the company, she needed music or the sound of the T.V. She couldn't focus either way, and she had admitted to Vegeta that she needed the noise because she hated the eerie feeling of being alone. She had been requiring the noise less and less when in his presence or that of her son and Mai, but old habits were hard to break, and Vegeta didn't particularly mind. He too had lived alone and in the silence. He understood.

"You two wouldn't be dissing my dog show, now would you?" Bulma asked, entering the room, her voice light and jocular.

Goku rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "No, never," he said, playing along. "How's everything coming?"

"Fine," Chi Chi replied. "Some of the appetizers are ready, if you two would like some food. Can you let the kids know?"

"Sure," Goku answered. "Thanks, you two."

The two women shared a smile with each other before they turned to continue dealing with the meal. Vegeta got up wanting to help out if they needed it. The last time he asked, Chi Chi had chased him out of the kitchen and he was forced to let his mind rot for hours watch fur balls run across the screen, and also learning that there were way too many breeds of terriers that should ever exist.

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked his girlfriend, though he could see Goku's wife ready to reject him.

"Of course," Bulma called out, smiling at him before Chi Chi could deny him. Bulma looked too amused. She must have realized the torture he had to deal with after the other woman denied him the first time. "Could you work on the salad while I deal with these potatoes?"

"Hm," he agreed, moving to a free spot on the counter where he could prepare the vegetables. He was certain Chi Chi didn't like that very much. That didn't matter to him, though. He had humored the harpy once, but it was his and Bulma's kitchen, after all.

When Vegeta finished the salad and a couple of other dishes, the game was finally on and Bulma sent him off with some food and a beer. He smirked. The woman really did know him well.

They had about an hour before everyone started to show up, and Vegeta was having mixed feelings about the affair. For the more part he was fine with having a large crowd over, but the fact that his other would be there was slightly troubling. He grimaced as soon as the thought entered his head.

"Who's wining?"

Vegeta looked to see that Goku had, once again, joined him. The game had been on for a short time, but Vegeta hadn't been paying much attention. "Does it matter?"

"Nah, not really," Goku responded. "Just making conversation. I'm not really into the pro football thing. Only time I really care is the Super Bowl, and that's usually just because any party I've gone to has had a lot of great food."

The other male grunted a chuckle. "That doesn't surprise me."

Goku merely smiled, happy to have gotten the sullen look off of Vegeta's face. He had noticed when he came downstairs after spending time with the kids that Vegeta wasn't really having a good time. He didn't know the details of Vegeta's life, but he did know that he was the friend his brother always talked about, and he knew that Vegeta's mother was coming and that Raditz's friend didn't have the best relationship with his family. Goku had put two and two together, and doing so he realized he needed to get Vegeta's mind off of it by any means necessary.

"You know," Goku pondered, "I still remember this one party. Bulma's mom had this Super Bowl party once, but the following year, her team was in it, and she gets pretty intense when watching her team play so she didn't want any of us to see her like that. It's kind of funny. I only recently learned more about the game though and how intense it could be when Goten and Trunks joined the team, and now Gohan is with them. Panics Chi Chi immensely."

"I can tell Bulma isn't thrilled with it, either," Vegeta remarked, "but she keeps her opinion to herself and supports Trunks. He knows she worries, so he tries to keep injuries down to a minimum."

"That last game sure was something," Goku murmured contently. "It'll be great when the martial arts group starts meeting. Now that I'm really into."

"Really," Vegeta remarked, interested. "To be honest, I am too. You fight?"

"Eh, not really," Goku answered, "but I'm interested. I have a bunch of equipment down in the basement and basically train myself whenever I get the opportunity. It's kind of therapeutic, you know? Helps when I'm really anxious." Vegeta nodded, but didn't press. "What about you?"

"I used to," Vegeta admitted, "but not in a club. I had to learn to protect myself."

"Sounds bad," Goku empathized, feeling a little concerned. "But everything's good now?"

Vegeta nodded again. "I still train every day. Habit. The danger was back in college, before I met your brother."

"I'm glad Raditz helped you." Vegeta looked over to Goku, a bit perplexed. "Well, think about it. If he hadn't, who knows where you'd be. I'm glad that you ended up here and met Bulma. She's been really happy ever since she met you. I didn't think I'd ever see her this way."

"She's been happy before," Vegeta remarked, though he did feel pride at the man's words.

"Well, yeah, and she always tries to look at the bright side," Goku agreed, "but she always had a lot of fears and, because of you, they've kind of died off. I'm really happy for your both."

"Stop being sentimental," Vegeta ordered before smirking. "If not, I'll have to show you just how much I've trained over the years."

Goku looked amused. "Is that a challenge, Vegeta?"

"Damn straight," he replied, the grin never leaving his face.

"Ah, ah, break it up," Trunks joked as he and the other teenagers finally came downstairs. "It's Thanksgiving."

"Hn," Vegeta responded. "Another day, then."

"Looking forward to it, buddy!"

* * *

Later, once everyone had arrived, dinner was served. There were two tables: the dining room table and then a folding table in the living room. Goten huffed and leaned on the table. The day had been fine. He had been happy that Valese was there with him, and that her father had come and met his parents. Usually, he really enjoyed Thanksgiving. Still, today was really chaotic. There were so many people in the apartment, and Lime's kids were loud and overexcited. They were really stressing him out.

"Why is it that even though we're teenagers, we're still sitting at the kid's table…"

Trunks chuckled, but then he noticed Goten's expression. He looked angry, and that was worrisome. The lavender-haired teen was about to say something, but then Valese and Mai caught the two boys' attention. The two were laughing, and Videl looked at the two confused as is she missed a joke. Trunks and Goten had no idea what was going on, but seeing the girls so happy made them both smile. Goten was still on edge, especially when one of Lime's kids nearly screamed before tossing himself at Valese. Goten calmed while watching Valese interact with the boy. She settled him down, which in turn settled his brother down. The two boys sat back in their seats and continued to eat their dinner. Valese was a natural.

Goten's expression darkened, and he grew quiet, not that he had been saying much to begin with, for guilt crept into his heart. Trunks could see every emotion that passed over his friend's face. Goten needed to talk. They would not have a repeat of his last breakdown. "Hey," Trunks called out, earning the attention of his friends and the kids. "Anyone need any drinks?"

"I could use another soda," Gohan requested with a smile. "Thanks."

"Sure, no problem," Trunks remarked. "One soda. Any other takers?"

"Could I get another water, please?" Mai sheepishly asked. Trunks grinned at her and nodded.

"What about you, Videl? Another iced tea?"

"Sure," the girl replied.

Trunks nodded. "Valese?"

"Could I trouble you for another glass of fruit punch?" she asked.

"Of course. Kids?"

Lime's boys looked at each other before glancing back at Trunks. "We're good," the eldest said.

"Alright, then," Trunks replied. "Goten, want to come help me carry?"

Goten snapped out of his thoughts, and the spiky-haired teen simply nodded and stood, following closely behind Trunks. They didn't notice Valese watching Goten with worried eyes.

Trunks and Goten were alone in the kitchen, the noise and conversation of the adults overshadowing anything they could have said. "So, what's up?" Trunks questioned. Goten didn't look like he knew what his friend was talking about. "You look like crap. Are you sleeping? Still taking your meds?"

Goten released an elongated sigh. "Yes, Trunks," he assured him. "Dad and I take our meds together every night. You don't have to worry."

"I always worry," Trunks admitted. "You're my best friend."

That made Goten smile before his earlier thoughts returned to him. "I'm fine, Trunks," he stated. "Just, something hit me and it's bothering me, but it's nothing."

"It's never nothing," Trunks empathized. "You can talk to me. I won't judge you. I just want to help. Last time you didn't talk to me about stuff…"

"I know, I know," Goten softly said. "And I know that it's bad to keep stuff inside, just this is terrible. Those kids were pissing me off."

"Yeah, they're pretty loud," Trunks agreed. "They were getting on my nerves, too. I think it's just 'cause they're young and it's a day off from school, plus they probably filled up on those marshmallow sweet potatoes Vegeta made. Kids and sugar is a horrible combination."

Trunks had hoped his joke would make Goten laugh, but if anything it flared Goten's temper more, his jaw clenched. "Yeah, that's the problem," he grunted lowly. "You already know…you know that I can't handle kids, even when we're just walking in the park. You know I don't want kids."

"Right now," Trunks reminded him. "You could always change your mind. You're almost fifteen, Ten. It's okay that you don't want kids now."

"No, Trunks," Goten bit out forcefully. "I _never_ wanted kids. I never will want kids. Ever since middle school when I learned about this illness, I had decided then that I never wanted a family. I've never told Valese this, and seeing her with those boys just made me realize that one day I'll have to talk to her about this. Kids stress me out, but even if my kid didn't, I don't want to risk them being as fucked up as I am."

Trunks's eyes narrowed. "You're not 'fucked up,'" he deadpanned. "And Goten, listen, those are all legitimate concerns, but you don't have to worry about it now. If you decide one day that you could handle a kid, there's always another way. There's always adoption or even what my mother did. Only issue will be if you think you'd be able to love a child that isn't biologically yours."

Goten huffed. "That's not an issue. The issue is that I'd be a terrible father. I'd be impatient and short-tempered with them."

His friend leaned against the wall in the kitchen and slid to the floor. Trunks followed suit and said, "You know, I'm going to tell you something. I'm not even supposed to know. It's something I learned a long time ago eavesdropping on mom."

Goten laughed bitterly. "You do that a lot."

"What can I say?" Trunks joked. "I'm a curious kid. Anyway, Ten, what you're feeling is normal. Before your dad ever met your mom, he felt the same way you do." Goten looked surprised. "He was afraid that he'd pass on his illnesses, and he was easily stressed out by kids, too, but when I was born, he was around, and he saw that he could handle a kid. He married your mom soon after, and then they had you and Gohan pretty soon after. And he loves you both a lot."

"I know he does," Goten sighed. "I didn't know he felt that way."

Trunks nodded. "And don't think he's the only one who didn't think they could do it. Mom, too, had problems after she had me. She had that postpartum depression thing, and she thought she was crazy for even trying to do it alone. She didn't think she could do it, but she's a really great mom. Gramma told me about all that once before. So, don't be worried that you have doubts. That's called being human." Goten actually laughed at that. "So…does that help?"

"Yeah," Goten answered. "I'm feeling better. I have to talk to Valese about this, though, don't I?"

Trunks scoffed a laugh and waved him off. "Of course not. I already told you, we're teenagers. _None_ of us need to think about having kids yet. We still are kids!"

Goten had to admit, his friend had a point.

With that conversation over, the two continued with their task, the pretense of why they had left the table. They each took two drinks before heading back to the "kids" table, and they were both engaged in conversation. Now that Goten's mind had been set at ease, he was a bit more vocal, and Valese noticed. She mentally thanked Trunks for whatever it was he said to Goten within the last ten minutes.

* * *

The adults, too, were immersed in conversation. One of the conversations put Tarble and Gure on the spot. It was Launch's second time meeting Gure, though she hadn't seen much of her or Tarble at the Halloween party. In those few minutes where the two held all the attention, it came out that they were dating. Launch seemed very happy about it. She really liked Gure, and Gure was much more polite than Maron. She had never liked that woman for her son.

Of course, it also came out, when Launch asked how they met, that Tarble had met her at Trunks's school when he went to talk to his new guidance counselor. Bulma saw Launch frown, and she knew what was coming. She was ready to defend her brother and Gure. "Isn't that a little unethical?"

Bulma was about to speak, but Vegeta beat her to it. "No more 'unethical' than a woman dating her boss and said boss living with her, right?"

Launch looked at Vegeta warily. "I didn't say that."

"No, but you've implied it," he said nonchalantly. "Many times. And to that I say screw ethics in that case. Just accept it, be happy, and move on."

"Now, now," Bulma laughed lightly, placing a hand on Vegeta's shoulder. "We're all happy for Tarble, isn't that right, Launch?"

"Yes," Launch replied sincerely. "That's right. And we're very happy to have you here, Gure."

The woman smiled thankfully and took Tarble's hand as they continued to eat. Bulma was really happy to see such a smile on her brother's face. Likewise, she wore one as well, and she sneakily rubbed Vegeta's leg, a silent thanks for his assist. It seemed like the two of them could handle any battle together, including a battle of words.

Or almost any battle.

After the one conversation was over, there were others, and the first one to occur was Vegeta's mother thanking Bulma for once again inviting her into her home and blessing them with such a delicious meal. Bulma didn't yet know how to interact with the woman, especially when Vegeta tensed at the sound of her voice. "Well, actually," she started, "it was a group effort on mine, Chi Chi's, and Vegeta's part."

That had apparently been the wrong thing to say for Kalina's attention was her son instantly. "You can cook?"

Vegeta's expression darkened, becoming hardened as he answered, "I don't know why that's such a surprise. I applied what you taught me when we used to bake when I was living on my own. If I didn't learn to cook, I wouldn't have eaten."

Kalina forced a smile, her eyes nearly tearing up. She closed her eyes and forced a light laugh, hoping not to draw attention to herself, but Vegeta noticed. He saw, and his brow furrowed in confusion before everyone at the table got unusually quiet.

Bulma noticed this and made the attempt to move conversation forward. "So, Pilaf," she called out getting the attention of Mai's "uncle." "How's your puppy doing?"

Pilaf grinned at the woman. "I wouldn't exactly call Shu a puppy," he joked, "but fine. Thank you so much for the vet recommendation. I was surprised to see your friend working there. It's always good to see a familiar face."

Goku smiled at that, and he could tell what Bulma was trying to do. He wanted to keep the ball rolling. "Yeah, good dog. I was surprised. According to what you said he seemed to have a lot going on this year."

"Yes, but it was worth it," Pilaf stated. "He's my humble companion."

Goku nodded at that before looking over at Broly. He remembered him. He was Bulma's coworker, the one who threw his father under the bus to protect Trunks. He was a good guy, but he was so quiet and out-of-place the whole meal. It was time to engage him. "So, Broly, you have any pets?"

Broly looked up when he heard his name called and saw Bulma's friend staring at him. He realized he had asked a question. "Um, no," he answered. "I live alone."

Raditz scoffed a laugh. "You shouldn't have told him that," he warned a little too late. "When I told him I moved into Vegeta's place, next think I know he's telling me about this cat up for adoption at the clinic."

"Did you get the cat?" Lime asked in interest.

A startled glanced flashed over Raditz's features before he grumbled, "I don't want to talk about it."

Bulma laughed and looked to her best friend. "I bet you used all the guilt tactics in the world to accomplish that feat."

"You're not kidding," Raditz griped before looking back at Broly. "So, yeah, don't fall for it. If he ever tries to get you to adopt, just walk the other way."

"Feh," Nappa chuckled. "You kids need to be more assertive. If you didn't want the damn cat, you shouldn't have said 'yes.'"

Raditz's eyes narrowed. "It had three legs and was less likely to get adopted, and they had a week before they needed to send it back to the shelter."

"Hey, come on," Goku whined. "He looked like Tripod!"

"Tripod?" Broly questioned.

Bulma just shook her head and smiled. "Their cat they had when we were younger. And aw, poor kitty. You did a good thing, Raditz."

"A very good thing," Lime agreed, kissing Raditz's cheek.

"Huh, well I'll be damned," Nappa remarked before looking over to their coworker. "Hey, kid, forget what Raditz said. Apparently, the cat's a chick magnet."

"I'm fine on my own," Broly stated, but he sounded more amused than curt. Still, Goku looked at him strangely, so he reluctantly added, "But I'll keep it in mind should it ever change."

That appeased Goku, and he changed his attention to another unsuspecting male. "What about you, Walsh?"

Valese's father looked up at the other man and shook his head. "No pets for me, but that's fine. I have to travel for work much of the time, unfortunately. I know Valese is home, but when I'm away she's normally with her mother. Actually, about that, I've been meaning to ask you and your wife, but next week I'll be away on a trip, and Valese really doesn't want to go to her mother's this time. Would it be okay if she stayed with you?"

"I don't see why not," Chi Chi answered. "Is there a reason she doesn't want to go to her mother's?"

Walsh sighed. "Well, it's not really Thanksgiving talk, so I probably shouldn't say."

"It's all right," Bulma assured him. "You're among friends here. Is everything okay?"

"Not exactly," the man offered before sighing. "You know that we're in the process of a divorce, but what Valese and I haven't been saying is why and how it's going. I would venture to guess that the only one who knows is your son, Goten, actually. I'm very glad he's been there for her. Everything's been a mess."

"We can understand," Bunny interjected. "Divorce is never an easy thing."

"Basically, she cheated on me because of my busy schedule," Walsh admitted. "When I got promoted, things became very difficult. I had to start travelling for work. I hate it, but it puts food on the table, and I knew I needed to start thinking about Valese's future. I always made sure it was okay with Valese if I had been given an assignment, because if she said 'no,' I would have stayed. I didn't want her to feel like I was abandoning her, but she was always a very understanding girl. Her mother, not so much. But she never told me to my face she had a problem with me leaving so much. I would ask her, and she'd just give me attitude while saying it was fine.

"Valese heard us the night I found out, and she's been struggling to forgive her mother," Walsh continued. "She has less respect for her now, and my ex has been giving her hell for it. The last time I left her with Anita, they got into a huge fight, and when I picked Valese up, she wouldn't even talk to me. It wasn't until we got home and I asked her how her week went that she broke down into tears and sobbed for an hour. I couldn't even get her to tell me what was wrong until she stopped. Apparently, her mother had said some very awful things to her and she doesn't want to go there anymore."

"Oh that poor dear," Bunny sighed, shaking her head. "No parent should ever say anything to make their child cry like that." Launch looked over at the woman, but said nothing.

"We'd be happy to let her stay with us," Goku agreed. "Anytime. She's been a great friend to our son, and I'm sure you know how important that is to us."

Walsh smiled. "And she's always welcome here, too," Bulma added. "Mai loves having her over for sleepovers."

"I guess we all have a lot to be thankful for," Walsh stated. "I'm very glad that Valese has all of you looking out for her, too."

"This is getting very sentimental," Vegeta stated, finally breaking his wall of silence. "Perhaps Bulma and I should put the food away. The game's still on, so we can watch that before dessert."

"Sounds like a plan," Bulma remarked. She looked to their guests. "You all mingle. We'll join you in a second."

"Do you need any help?" Bunny offered.

"Nah, mom, we've got this," Bulma assured her. "You go relax."

The kitchen was very welcoming at the moment for Vegeta was still struggling with his mother's reaction towards his statement. He always hated seeing the woman cry, and now that it almost happened he was reminded that she was human. Letting his guard down was not something he wanted to do, especially not around her, but he couldn't help but feel a little guilty for making the remark that made her feel that way. He was at an impasse in his own psyche.

"Hey," Bulma whispered, wrapping her arms around him as he covered up a tray of food, "are you doing okay?"

Vegeta grunted sardonically before he put the tray in the fridge. "Define okay."

"I know what your mom said got to you," she murmured against his ear. Vegeta shivered slightly, his eyes closing as temporary relief washed over him. "I just wanted to gage how much it bothered you. If her being here is too much, we don't have to keep inviting her."

"No," he said a bit too hurriedly. "I mean, no, that's not it. I feel guilty for my statement, and I know I shouldn't. I don't know what to do. I don't want to pretend there's nothing wrong, but I don't want her to keep looking like that, either."

"I get it," Bulma reminded him. "I used to pretend when I was younger that I wasn't upset with my father or our situation. Every time I saw him, I put on a happy face. It was so easy, but as I got older, the estrogen thing kicked in, which we didn't know about, and I couldn't keep up the façade, even when I was trying to save face. He would tell me I was too emotional and he hated that about me and didn't have to deal with my emotions, but the only reasons I was that emotional was because of a biological condition I couldn't control and because he acted like an asshole a lot of the time. This is different because both you and your mother are emotional about it, even if you can hide it so much better than she can. I'm not saying this to undermine whatever you're feeling, and I one-hundred percent will understand if you can never get past how she treated you, and Lord knows it took me forever to get past my father's mistakes. She made mistakes, Vegeta, and she's at least trying. Even if it doesn't erase what happened, one day you'll have to make a decision on whether or not you can forgive her. If the answer is 'yes,' then you need to move forward and try to leave the past in the past. If the answer is 'no,' then this is the last time you need to see her. I'll support you either way."

"Why do you need to make sense?" her boyfriend huffed before he turned to face her and embraced her in a tight hug. "I don't know what I want to do yet."

"Then you have time to decide," she responded softly. "We can invite her another time and see how you feel. But also…maybe you should try talking to her one on one at some point. The group conversations didn't seem to assuage anything."

Vegeta scoffed a laugh. "You're telling me. Between Goku trying to pawn animals on everyone and your stepmother looking like she wanted to tell off your mother for her 'parents not making children cry' comment, everything was unraveling quickly."

"I know mom was thinking of how Trunks treated me and all the times I called her sobbing," Bulma sighed. "One time in particular, I had gone out to visit for Tarble's First Communion, and I did something that I knew would piss my father and Launch off, but it was necessary, and the last day I was there, they cornered me and sat me down saying I shouldn't have done what I did, that they were taking the choice away from me from ever doing it again, and then preceded to say they were my parents, needed to protect me, and needed to raise me to be the best Bulma they knew I could be. I was twenty, by the way."

"Hn, idiots," Vegeta grumbled. "Don't tell Launch I said that, or she may make a complaint of slander at work."

"Oh, shut up," Bulma giggled. "Strangely enough, right before that was the time I decided to talk to Goku again after our breakup. It had been about a year since we had broken up and eight months since we had spoken. After I called mom up hysterical, I called him up and confided in him what happened. So much more was said that day, but I don't care enough to remember it all. After some distance, it's still the worst that I remember. Only other thing I can remember about that day is that he slandered mom and his parents, and then he did apologize and told me it was never my fault, but then shortly afterwards started treating me like shit again."

"Let's just hope that's not the case with my mother…"

"I don't think it will be," Bulma reassured him while rubbing his shoulders. "I'm getting really good feelings from her. This is the second time she's been here, and it seems she's working hard to watch what she says. She doesn't want to offend you or push you away again. That's at least something."

"Right," he could agree. "We should finish packing up the food."

"Hey, guys?"

The couple looked to see Trunks standing in the kitchen archway. He looked guilty, and the two could immediately tell that he had probably heard a lot of their conversation. "Hey, Trunks," the mother greeted warmly. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," the teenager lied, before he told them why he was there. "I honestly came to see if you needed help putting the food away."

Vegeta's expression softened. "Sure, boy. Come in."

The acceptance Vegeta gave him caused Trunks's face to light up, and he practically ran inside to help. He really had been going to assist, but he heard his mother say that something Vegeta's mom had said bothered him. Trunks didn't know much about Vegeta's past except that he had gone through some stuff with his parents and that he was on his own. He knew enough, but his mother knew more details. When he heard their conversation, he had been frozen in place and in shock as he listened to his mother confide in Vegeta about her past pain and learned about Vegeta's uncertainty. It was surprising to the boy because Vegeta never seemed uncertain about anything.

The three worked diligently to put the massive amount of food away. They would definitely be having leftovers a lot in the next couple of days. Vegeta looked over at the mother and son, the two looking so happy and bright that it made his own spirit feel lighter. He was sure Trunks overheard, but it really didn't bother him. He felt comfortable around the boy feeling like he was his own. Vegeta had always accept Trunks, had confessed certain things to the boy before his mother, given him advice, but even then he didn't feel as connected to the boy as he did in that moment. _So this is what it's like to have a son…_

The thought both frightened him and made him feel at ease. He was confident in his relationship with Bulma, but he knew if something were to shift and their relationship would fall apart that he would lose both the woman he loved and a child he now considered to be his. He shook the doubts away just as soon as they entered his mind. No, they were in a good place, a wonderful place, and Vegeta was thankful for the two of them. A small smirk lined his features. Maybe, just maybe, there was something to this holiday, and it definitely wasn't a three hour dog show, but he would gladly watch that each year if it meant getting to have these two in his life forever.

* * *

In the late evening, Krillin, Juu, and Marron finally showed up for dessert. There were a ton of different pies on the table, and Bulma's eyes widened. It seemed everyone brought a pie: pumpkin, blueberry, apple, and even chocolate pudding. And there was more than one of each. "You do realized some of you are going to have to take some of this home, right? We're running out of room in the fridge…"

"Well, you did get a bigger table," Goku pointed out knowingly, mirth shining in his eyes as he looked at Bulma. "Looks like you need a bigger fridge, too, huh?"

"Cheeky bastard," Vegeta muttered under his breath as Bulma blushed.

"Speaking of, nice," Juu said, shifting the attention off of the couple and to the table itself. "Where'd you find one that looked like it could hold a committee of knights?"

"Oh, ha ha," Bulma wryly remarked. "And actually, it was that furniture in the mall. They have a lot of nice stuff. We furnished Mai's bedroom using that place. They deliver, too, so you don't need a moving truck to bring it all home."

"We'll have to keep that in mind," Krillin stated. "Juu wants to redecorate the whole place."

"It's time for a change," the blonde informed them. "I'm getting bored with the look."

"That sounds fun," Bunny chimed. "Is Marron excited about the process?"

Krillin beamed at that. "Actually, yeah. She's looking to be a designer. At least for offices and stuff like that. She has a really good eye."

"Well, if she ever wants to utilize those skills," Vegeta stated, "I'm sure Ouji. Corp could use some redecorating."

"That would be fantastic," Krillin marveled. "Thank you."

"Look at you helping all the younglings meet their dreams," Nappa teased.

"Not only them," Vegeta countered before looking towards Walsh. "If you ever get tired of the traveling for whatever company you're working for, we would certainly be willing to hire you."

"You serious?" the man responded, shocked. "That's…that's an unbelievable offer. I'm on contract right now, but the second it's up, I'd like to take you up on that."

"Hn," Vegeta answered with a nod.

Bulma smiled at the exchange. Vegeta was still trying to make everything better for those around him like he had done for her. He proved time and time again that he was a good man. She admired and loved him more for it.

The whole exchange shocked his mother, though.

* * *

Marron was thrilled to see Mai doing so well, and Mai was very receptive of the blonde girl asking her questions about her new life. To be honest, Mai was enjoying her life of freedom. She still felt anxiety here and there, but with Zarbon in prison she knew she was safe. Trunks was with her, and he took care of her always making sure that she was talking about her stress. He was probably the most supportive person she ever had in her life, and, even better, he loved her as she loved him. She definitely had a lot to be thankful for after so long. She was a part of a family again.

The girls talked about getting together the next day later in the day to go shopping when everything was less chaotic. The boys promised to go with them, just in case. Trunks still had this picture in his head that his mom described. When she was a child, she had gone with her mother to a store and had been separated from her mother and nearly run down by a cart…in the toy section. Even if it would be later in the day, Trunks still pictured armageddon.

* * *

Eventually, everyone had started to leave, saying their goodbyes to Bulma, Vegeta, and the kids, though Vegeta stepped away. He knew his mother was still there, and he was not yet ready to give a kind goodbye. He decided to go out onto the deck outside the living room. Perhaps he should have gone to the balcony upstairs, but he was certain the others would hear and he wanted to be discrete.

He was still furious when it came to his mother and father, the cool air and deep breath doing little to soothe that fire. If there was one thing Vegeta hated it was to be at war with himself. His mind wandered to earlier when his mother forced herself not to cry in front of all those people. Vegeta had never seen his mother cry, not since she found out that his father had cheated on her. Though he was angry, part of him didn't want to be anymore.

"Vegeta?"

The man bit his tongue to prevent himself from cursing. He had hoped that his mother wouldn't seek him out when she didn't find him. "What?"

"I…" Kalina started, but she paused and looked out into the courtyard. It was a lovely area. She sighed, feeling torn. "I just wanted to talk before I said goodbye. Well, actually…I wanted you to talk."

"Me?" Vegeta asked indignantly, glaring at the woman. He scoffed. "I have nothing to say."

"That's not true," Kalina countered haughtily before her voice softened again. "You proved as much with your comment in there."

Vegeta chanced a glance at her and then crossed his arms looking back out at the barren trees. "Nothing I said was wrong. It was fact."

"I know," she responded. "But it shows me you're still holding onto a lot of anger, and I don't want that for you. Son, you can talk to me. It might be hard to hear it, but it's important you don't keep this bottled up. I can handle it."

"Hn, you have no idea what I need to do," Vegeta retorted bitterly. "I don't even know what I need to do. I haven't 'bottled' anything. You think I don't talk to Bulma about all this bullshit?"

Kalina's expression betrayed a small smile. "She's a good woman. I like her."

"Like I give a damn?" Vegeta nearly shouted. "The only opinion that would have mattered is mine, not yours, so I don't need your approval, not on any of my life choices. You lost the right to have an opinion when you acted the way you did. You abandoned me, not the other way around. The both of you did. And then you come back into my life when you get a phone call from that spineless bastard to investigate who Bulma was. Do you know how much that pissed me off?"

"I'm starting to realize," Kalina said as seriously as she could without laughing. Vegeta was acting just as he did when he was younger, but she knew everything he was saying was serious, so she didn't want him to think she was making light of it. "And I'm sorry for that. I was just concerned about you. You needed to know how we really felt. I didn't want you to live the rest of your life thinking we didn't love you."

"Neither of you knew what love was," Vegeta snipped. "I felt I owed it to you to give this a shot, but everything you do or say, it's like you're trying to get us back to what used to be normal, when we got along, but nothing between us can ever be normal…not like that. And stupidly enough I feel guilt over it." He laughed cynically. "Pathetic, isn't it? I'm not the one at fault, and yet I feel the guilt."

"Son, it's not pathetic," his mother rejected. "And I know my word means nothing to you all things considered, but you have no reason to feel guilty. I'm the one who should feel guilty, and I do. Vegeta, I treated you terribly after I found out about the affair. You just, you reminded me so much of your father. It's not your fault, and it was both wrong and unhealthy for both of us that I did that. I just couldn't handle it and found a way to detach myself from everything and everyone. I isolated myself because of my own problems, and I treated you like you didn't belong in that safe spot I made for myself.

"But I should have never done that," she continued, looking to Vegeta and meeting his eyes. "It's not your fault that you favored his genetics, and it's definitely not your fault that he cheated on me. We had problems, and instead of facing them head-on, we both put more pressure on you and treated you like you were the problem that we couldn't face. You're nothing like your father, Vegeta. You're a good man, strong, and so incredibly kind, all of the things your father had to work for after you left. You proved that to me tonight even more when you decided to give jobs to total strangers you know nothing about. Your father would have never done that. He would have never helped anyone like that, nor would he have hired children for anything."

Vegeta released an agreeable chuckle. He knew his mother was right about that, and he wouldn't refute it. The only part he would counter was what she said regarding him. "I know enough about them," he told her. "I know that that girl was one of the few who tried to help Mai before her stepfather moved her out of the school to avoid suspicion. I know her mother is the social worker who helped us with Mai's case. Her father works at Bulma's and her friend's favorite restaurant, and Bulma grew up with him. I know that Walsh's daughter is a good friend to Trunks and Mai, that she cares a great deal about Trunks's best friend. I know that he is a good person because he wishes to protect his child. The girl would rather be with her father than her mother, which tells more than it should. That is all I need to know about them."

The sincerity in her son's voice made Kalina feel indescribable joy. That was probably the first good thing her son had confided in her, the first glimpse he allowed her to see of the man he had become without any influence from her or her husband. She was so proud, but she wouldn't ruin the moment by telling him so. Vegeta would just shut down like with any praise or acceptance she gave. "I don't expect you to forgive me," she admitted, shocking her son instead, "not anytime soon, at least. I just would like to be a part of your life, as much as you'll let me. That's not my choice, though. It's yours, and you are free to make whatever choice you need. I will understand either way. If you do choose to allow me back into your life, I can promise that I will never put you through what I had ever again, and as for things being normal…we can create a new normal. I know you aren't the same Vegeta that I used to take care of and bathe. I know you aren't still the teenager vying for my attention that I ignored. You're a man, now, and I just want to get to know who you are now, if you'll let me."

They were pretty words, Vegeta knew, but the woman had been sincere when she suggested it. He hated to admit it, but creating a new normal actually sounded good. It appealed to him because it wouldn't be pretending that nothing had changed. She was away he wasn't the same person, and she really just didn't want to fight anymore.

He still needed to give an answer.

"If you try to mother me, I'm done," Vegeta stated.

Kalina smiled in understanding and nodded. "Am I still allowed to call you 'son?'"

He sighed, "You've been doing that anyway and I haven't thrown you out yet."

The two remained out there for a bit in silence, and Kalina was the first to break it. Awkwardly, she placed her hand on Vegeta's shoulder earning his attention. Her nervous grin softened Vegeta only slightly. "Thank you," she whispered.

He answered with a nod, and then pulled away. There was still a lot he needed to work through, and he had already met his match for the day. He entered the apartment and then hurried up the stairs. His mother watched him, but instead of feeling sad and hopeless she felt relief and optimism. She would not squander this chance.


	39. Chapter 38

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

Mai stared up at the beautifully decorated Christmas tree. The week before, she along with her friends and Trunks's family had gotten together the trim the tree. It was so surreal. It had been so long since she had celebrated Christmas. She couldn't contain the joy and awe she felt. She was even wearing a cream, fluffy sweater that Bulma had bought her. It was probably the most comfortable shirt she owned now, and she was incredibly grateful to be treated like part of a family.

Footsteps sounded behind her, and then strong arms wrapped around her waist. Trunks leaned down to nuzzle her neck, tickling the girl in the process. "Hey," he greeted. "How's it going?"

His soft voice lulled Mai into an even more relaxed state. She never thought anything like that would be possible. She turned around and smiled at her boyfriend who was wearing a dark blue, long-sleeved shirt. He was grinning at her. Mai rarely ever saw any other expression on his face unless he was worried about something or someone. These past couple of months, there had been little to worry about and he always appeared to be happy.

"Everything's fine," she told him. "I was just thinking."

"About?"

Mai's expression faltered slightly before she forced a smile again. "Just how everything is right now," she explained. "I mean, this is the first Christmas I'm celebrating since my mother passed away. I never thought I'd ever celebrate it again."

"I know," Trunks spoke softly, taking out a small package. "That's why I got you an early Christmas present."

"Really?" Mai asked, stunned.

Trunks nodded. "I know you like to appear tough, but we both know if I were to give you this at my grandparents' that you'd get emotional. I know you don't want that."

Mai laughed lightly. "You know me so well."

Her remark made Trunks's grin widen as he handed her the gift. Mai slowly unwrapped it, savor in that feeling she hadn't had since she was a child. She was actually really excited to be opening a gift from Trunks, not that she had really wanted anything. Beneath the pretty paper, there was a white box for her to open, and inside was the most beautiful white gold bracelet and cross. She looked up at Trunks, her expression awed. His grin never faded.

Trunks reached to take the cross. "Here, let me," he said while his girlfriend was still dazed. He moved so he could put the necklace on her, clasping it from behind, and then he took the bracelet and put it on her dainty wrist. Before he could do or say anything else, Mai moved to kiss him, catching Trunks off-guard.

Meanwhile, Bulma and Vegeta were in the kitchen making hot chocolate for everyone, and they looked up noticing the scene by accident. Both adults grinned at the teenagers, especially when Mai pulled away looking bashful while Trunks looked like he was over the moon happy. They decided to interrupt a moment later, handing the hot drinks to the children, Bulma announcing that it was time to watch Christmas specials. They spent the whole day watching all the cartoon specials and "The Muppet Christmas Carol," Bulma's favorite rendition of the classic tale, just enjoying each other's company and the peace. Later, they'd pack their overnight bags, for the next day was Christmas Eve, and they'd be spending it like every other year, with Bulma's father's side of the family.

* * *

Going to Bulma's grandparents' was not what Vegeta had expected. He knew that the family was very supportive of Bulma, but he still expected some underlying animosity or judgment upon walking through the door. Instead, Bulma's grandmother had been incredibly welcoming, and her grandfather engaged him in conversation almost immediately.

The house was lively, though Vegeta could tell it was a quite place on any ordinary day. Bulma had once told him that going to that house was like going on a retreat. He could definitely see that.

There were children playing in the living room, most likely those of Bulma's cousins. Launch had arrived moments before Tarble and Gure showed up. Strangely enough, Vegeta felt relief that he wasn't the only one meeting the whole family for the first time. Of course, Gure looked more nervous than he had been, but she had also been welcomed with open arms.

Dinner had been an interesting experience. Never before had Vegeta ever partaken in such a social meal. It was quite overwhelming, but Bulma had subtly touched him to give comfort and center him. She had this way of reading his mind even when he didn't know there was anything to read.

Mai looked much like Vegeta felt, Trunks constantly reassuring her. Their house had been full on Thanksgiving, but this was different. At their apartment, they had known everyone there. This group of people was full of strangers. Sure, Bulma and Trunks had talked about the family all the time, but neither of their companions had been ready for this.

Trunks was explaining to Mai how the meal was to work. Basically, both sides of the table had a fondue pot full of oil. There were colored, plastic skewers, and each person took a different color. They'd then use the skewer to pick up a piece of raw meat and put it in the pot. When the meat was cooked to their liking, they'd remove it and dip it in this garlic butter sauce. There were also bowls of shrimp which cocktail sauce and rolls. Basically, they were cooking their own meal while eating, and Vegeta had to admit that it was pretty delicious for such a simple meal.

Afterwards, the family spread all around the house, some talking in the kitchen, some watching "A Christmas Story" in the living room, and even some still sitting at the dining room table. While all of that was going on, Bulma started showing Vegeta around the home, the whole place screaming family with rows and rows of pictures of the couple's kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. It was evident that they loved their family.

Vegeta even saw some old pictures of Bulma's father, Trunks. It was fairly sobering to see a man who had become a billionaire in such humble upbringings. Vegeta had grown up in wealth and hated it, and he fought to get even a fraction of what that man could have had. He looked down to Bulma to see the look of longing flash over her face. It was not fair, the way her father had treated her. Vegeta would have traded all the wealth he had just to have a family like this, one that took the meaning of the word seriously.

"There you two are," Launch called out snapping Bulma and Vegeta out of their silent moment. Bulma flinched at the sound of her stepmother's voice, but forced on a very convincing smile.

"Merry Christmas, Launch," Bulma said politely. "How are you doing?"

"I'm well," the woman replied before looking at the picture that had been so transfixed on moments ago. "That's a good picture of him. Trunks looked just like him."

Bulma bit her tongue, almost blurting out not to say that around her son. The teenager already knew that, but he didn't like it when Launch reminded him of it knowing that the woman didn't believe her late husband to be the type of man he was. "Yeah, he does," she admitted, hoping to end that topic. "So, you were looking for us?"

"Actually, it was more I was looking for you, Bulma," the woman replied.

That came as a surprise to Bulma. Even more, she could hear Trunks's and Mai's voices nearby, coming around the corner. He must have been showing the girl around the place before stumbling across his mother and Vegeta. "Oh, hey guys. I was just showing Mai the guest room we're sharing." He then noticed Launch there and paled slightly. "I mean…"

"It's okay, Trunks," Launch laughed. "You don't have to be shy around me."

Trunks didn't seem convinced. "Well, uh, we're going to go see if we can help great-grandma with anything, so later."

"That's fine," Launch replied before Bulma could. "I was just going to see if your mother was available to talk about something."

Bulma's eyes widened. Was she really doing this now, right in front of Vegeta and her son. The woman had thought she had put a stop to any conversation about her father for the long haul. Maybe, though, she was just being paranoid. It was Christmas. It had to be something else. "About what?" she asked tightly.

"Just…about your father."

The look on Bulma's face couldn't even be described in a word. It was a mix between fury, sadness, and hurt. "There's nothing to discuss," Bulma responded, her voice strained. "Not today."

"We have to talk sometime," Launch offered.

"No, we don't," Bulma countered, a bit more angrily. She felt Vegeta's hand on her shoulder and looked over to see his brow furrowed in concern. "I just, I need a minute," she said, pulling away from her boyfriend and leaving the four in the hall. She went to the other guest room and shut the door hard.

Trunks frowned and refused to meet his grandmother's gaze, taking Mai's hand. "Come on, let's go," he said hurriedly while already descending the stairs.

Launch looked over to Vegeta only to see the man glowering at her. "What the heck was that?" he hissed.

Launch did not like his admonishing tone and glared right back at him. "She and I need to talk eventually," the woman argued. "I can already tell she told you the story her mother told her. I'm telling you, she needs to know the truth about her father."

"She has only told me her truth, and no one else's," Vegeta snapped back. "I already told you in the past that it was up to Bulma to have any sort of discussion with you. If she is to come to you, you have to let her do it in her own time and accept that it may never happen. It's not just herself she's protecting."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Mom?"

Launch and Vegeta both froze when Tarble started heading up the stairs. Vegeta hadn't even noticed his girlfriend's brother coming anywhere near them. "What's going on?" he asked. "Why are the two of you arguing in the stairwell?"

"We aren't," Vegeta retorted before walking away. "I'm just going to check on your sister."

Vegeta left the two alone, heading to the guest room. When the two heard the door shut, Tarble surprisingly spoke up, and his words startled his mother. "You have to let her be, mom," he stated. Launch looked to her son in alarm. "Whatever it was you needed to talk to her about, Bulma needs to handle it in her own way."

"Son…" Launch breathed out. She shook her head. "You don't know what you're saying or what's going on. I simply wanted to explain some stuff about your father to her."

Tarble had been intent on pretending not to know, but when his mother came out and said it he felt he owed it to Bulma to set his mother straight. "I know." Launch was again, stunned. "Look, I love dad, and so do you, and so does Bulma. Whatever it was that happened in the past, she's finally healing. You haven't seen her the way I have. You need to let this go, or you're going to push her away."

"What has she said about your father to you?" Launch questioned, her voice worried and angry.

"Nothing," Tarble lied. "I've noticed things on my own." Well, that part was at least the truth. "Just leave it alone, mother, please. Bulma has never once bad mouthed dad around me. You just…wasn't it you who said everyone's grief journey was different, and no one could or should force us into corners we weren't yet ready to face?" Launch's face fell. "Bulma may never be ready to face what you have to say, and honestly you probably won't be ready to face what she has to say either, so for the love of this family, please drop the subject. I'll go get them. Everyone is about to open presents."

As her son walked away, Launch couldn't help but gape at his retreating form before looking back to the room where her stepdaughter had run off to. She wondered what Bulma could have possibly told her son, especially when Tarble did not want to tell her. She had no idea what her son meant about seeing Bulma the way he had, or why Vegeta was implying that Bulma was trying to protect someone other than herself. According to her son, Bulma wasn't saying much, so it wasn't like she was trying to smear Trunks's good name. Never had she understood why Bulma was so adamant about _not_ discussing her father, but now even her son and an outsider were telling her to let the it lie. Something that Tarble had said, though, struck a huge cord.

" _You probably won't be ready to face what she has to say…"_

What would Bulma have to say that her own son was warning her against?

Whatever it was, Tarble believed it despite knowing what a good and loving man his father was. If Bulma had been trying to spread lies or make unfounded claims, Tarble would have already asked her about them and she would have been able to explain it away. The fact that Tarble had been told something, believed it, and was trying to protect both her and his sister made something clear. Launch wouldn't like what Bulma had to say, and she didn't think she'd want to let Bulma say her piece.

Every time she pictured talking to her stepdaughter, she pictured getting everything she had to say out and leaving Bulma to process the information. She assumed Bulma would have questions about certain things, and she would happily answer them, but it never occurred to her that Bulma would end up giving her account of the events. She figured Bulma would want to know the truth, but, as Vegeta pointed out, Bulma would have her own version of the truth. It had never occurred to the woman that Bulma held a third account separate from her own and from Bunny's versions.

There had to be a reason as to why Bulma didn't want to know, and Launch had never realized that until the moment Tarble had jumped to his sister's defense.

Maybe her son and Vegeta were right. Maybe it was a better idea to leave the past in the past. Bulma would come to her one day, if she was ready.

* * *

Bulma couldn't believe that Launch had brought up the "dreaded conversation," as she had been calling it for years, at Christmastime. She understood that Launch wanted to exonerate her father of any wrongdoing. She knew that the woman was going to insult her mother, grandparents, and even her. All of it was such a load of bull to Bulma. Nothing Launch could say would repair the damage her father had caused. Even if there was some true reason from his warped way of thinking, it didn't excuse the horrible things he said to her all her life.

The woman was aware that Launch probably wanted her to remain silent and listen, that she would take the information and piece together a good version of her father. That she would believe that everyone else was responsible for his actions and behavior. Even if that were true, which it wasn't, each individual was in control of their own response. Where Bulma blamed her father's treatment of her for her emotions, she also took responsibility for her own shortcomings.

Her eyes were drawn to a picture on the dresser, one of her father holding her little brother as a toddler. A sad smile plastered itself on her face as she wiped away a tear. How many times had she looked at this picture wishing she could have been around them so much more than her father had allowed? How many times had she been jealous that she hadn't ever been the one to put a smile like that on her father's face save the early years where she didn't catch him in his lies?

"Well, dad…" she sighed, "looks like another holiday filled with drama because no one can let the past go. I always begged you to just put everything behind us, to focus on us and having a better father/daughter relationship. Is it too much to ask now for Launch? I've really been trying with her, for you and for Tarble."

"It isn't too much to ask," Vegeta's voice spoke, and Bulma tensed before looking over to her boyfriend. He closed the door behind him and then strode over to Bulma, reaching out for her to hold her in his warm embrace. "Are you all right?"

Bulma sighed and nodded against his chest. "I just feel frustrated that she had to call me out on it in front of all of you as if that would change my mind," she responded. "I just want to forget it, honestly. I know I never will fully, but it would just be nice to get one holiday where I have little reminders of the pain."

"The pain stays with you," Vegeta reluctantly admitted, "no matter how much time has passed. It's not hard to be given reminders, like all of these pictures. It happened, Bulma, all of it, but you've gotten passed a great deal. You don't focus on all the hurt all the time. You focus on the present and dreams for the future. For people like us, that's what we have to do. Yes, there is a lot we must face, and putting it off doesn't help, believe me, but there is nothing Launch can say to you that will replace what happened, just like my mother can't erase how she and my father treated me. On Thanksgiving, she and I agreed to move forward, creating a new normal. There's nothing about the past that we need to discuss."

"I've been trying to create a new normal for Launch," Bulma huffed. "I even sidestep her 'your father would be so proud of you' stint. It hurts when she says it, but I learned to accept it. Can't she meet me halfway? I'm getting tired of having the same conversation over and over. That move she pulled, I know what she was trying to do. She was trying to make it look like _I_ was the one in the wrong because I won't hear her out."

"It doesn't matter," Vegeta said, rubbing her shoulders. "She picked the worst people to use as her audience. Trunks knows and so do I. And Mai understands as well, given her situation. I already reiterated to her that she needs to wait until you're ready, and that day may never come. She can't expect you to act like a doll and just sit and listen without having your own opinions and accounts on what had happened. She doesn't know it all. Her husband lied to a lot of people. Everyone thought him to be a great man, even me. It was a shock to hear, because the image he portrayed was what I always wanted in a father."

Bulma smiled bitterly, a few tears escaping her. "Me too."

Vegeta released a solemn chuckle, wiping Bulma's tears from her face. "My parents were the same way, remember? Everyone thought I was the horrible, ungrateful rich kid who had forsaken his parents. As for you, no one had ever had an image. There was a reason for that. You aren't the kind of person to draw attention to others' shortcomings and failures. You wanted a peaceful life on your own terms. You were lucky, honestly, that you weren't in the public eye as much."

"Well, Trunks did try to hide my existence the majority of his life," Bulma reminded him. "He wouldn't have wanted me in the public eye or to draw attention to himself for having a long lost daughter. I just want to say something, though, about what you said they saw you as…"

"Yes?"

"Don't ever look back on that," Bulma chided lightly, her expression serious. "To be honest, you are a better man then both of our fathers combined, both as a partner and a parental figure."

Vegeta's expression softened, betraying the impact her words had on him. Bulma offered him a soft smile, moving to kiss his cheek. "Woman…" he murmured quietly.

A knock sounded on the door, effectively ending the moment. "Bulma?" Tarble's voice spoke. "Can I come in?"

Bulma looked to Vegeta, her boyfriend nodding to her. She walked over to the door and let her brother inside. Thankfully, her stepmother was nowhere to be seen. "Is it safe?"

"I hope so," Tarble offered, smiling weakly. "I didn't mean to overstep, but I told her she needs to let it go and not force her grief on you."

"I thought you said you wouldn't get involved," Bulma sighed, "but thank you. Hopefully, she'll let this go."

Tarble agreed, nodding. "Well, I don't think you have to worry. Everyone's about to open presents downstairs. Mom's leaving after, and I'll be heading out with Gure. We've got quite a drive ahead of us to reach her parents."

"You should stay the night," Bulma suggested, but Tarble shook his head.

"We were thinking of stopping off at a hotel," he explained, "so don't worry. Now, let's get down there before everyone gets antsy."

"Yeah, sounds good," Bulma agreed. Her gaze shifted to Vegeta. "You ready?" A curt nod was her answer.

Vegeta watched the two siblings head down the stairs, Bulma seeming much lighter than when they were talking in the room. She seemed to brighten after she said those breathtaking words to him. He had been feeling closer and closer to her and Trunks, and it made sense that she was feeling closer to him as well. The fact that she called him her partner made his heart race, her words also implying that she possibly accepted him as a father figure for her son. He couldn't be certain, but that's what he was choosing to take from the statement. "I feel the same way, woman."

* * *

There had been no other incident that Christmas night as the family sat together exchanging gifts. Truthfully, Vegeta had just been sitting there for Bulma's sake. This gathering was a bit out of his comfort zone. Christmases were always quiet when he was a kid. Usually it was just him and his mother, and there was only a handful of present under the tree, not that he minded. After his father's affair, Vegeta hadn't celebrated Christmas. He went to Ella's house for Christmas once, and it was also fairly quiet and toned down.

This place was a chaotic, full-blown assembly line, and not a very practical one. Some of Bulma's cousins were over by the tree calling out names and handing out presents. There was a sea beneath the tree. Surprisingly, though, both Vegeta and Mai found themselves bombarded with presents as well. Bulma must have spoken about them a lot with her grandparents because, like they did for all their grandkids and great-grandkids, they had bought them a ton of clothes and pajamas among other things. Mai was completely awestruck, and Vegeta…he didn't know what to think or feel.

It was late when everyone left, and the rest of the night was peaceful. Bulma and Vegeta helped her grandparents clean up in the family room, picking up all the wrapping paper and bows. Trunks and Mai watched some television before they retreated, and Vegeta and Bulma soon followed for the next morning they'd have to get up early to head back home for Christmas Day festivities. At least they'd be in their own apartment. That was more in Vegeta's comfort zone. For now, he was content and relieved to be alone with Bulma, both feeling rested in each other's presence.

* * *

The next morning, they had returned to their home, Trunks and Mai going up to their rooms to unpack and relax for the rest of the morning. Bulma's mother was already on her way, and so was Vegeta's mother. After the two had agreed to create a "new normal," Vegeta had taken the step to invite his mother over for Christmas. She had been shocked when he called with the invite. Not only had she expected him to need more time after their discussion on Thanksgiving, but this Christmas was his first Christmas with Bulma and her family. Kalina was honored to be a part of it, and she immediately accepted the invitation.

Bunny helped Bulma and Vegeta with the cooking, though both had told the woman to spend time with the kids and relax. When Kalina got there, Vegeta and Bulma ended up surrendering to their mothers who wanted to finish cooking the meal. It was actually a very humorous and humbling experience.

Bulma had told Mai she could invite Pilaf if she wanted, and the man was happy to come. He listened to Mai's updates and her experience the night prior. Pilaf was very happy for Mai and thankful that she had befriended the lavender-haired teen. He could see the love Trunks had for his best friend's daughter every time he looked at her and in the way he loosely wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Trunks looked completely at ease when Mai was near him, and Mai was the same way. This was the life the girl truly deserved.

Dinner had been delicious and full of light conversation. Afterwards, everyone exchanged gifts, and even Vegeta's mother had participated. She had bought the teenagers a few things, actually, but what really had astonished everyone was the present that the woman had had delivered that morning.

"Whoa," Trunks marveled. He couldn't believe what he had read in his card from Kalina, and he definitely couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Is…is that really for me?"

Kalina smiled at the teenager, handing him a set of keys. "It is."

"I don't know what to say," Trunks admitted while looking over to his mother and Vegeta warily. Both adults were shocked themselves, and it showed on their faces.

Kalina's expression fell before she looked over to the crimson red corvette. "What, too much?"

Bulma offered the woman a smile and chuckled. "Well, considering he's fifteen and doesn't have a permit yet, I'd say so, but we're thankful just the same. You didn't have to."

Vegeta had looked away from the car to regard his mother with an unreadable expression. When he had been a teenager, he had always had a desire for that type of car. It was something he asked for but never received. His and his mother's relationship had already gone to shit many years before, but since it was the only thing Vegeta had asked for, mainly for the ability to escape, it had crushed him when his mother refused agreeing with his father that it was unnecessary.

The gesture spoke many volumes to Vegeta. He was surprised his mother even remembered. The woman met his gaze, hers unwavering. "Yes, I really did," she replied to Bulma, but mostly she was speaking to her son. He nodded his acknowledgement, but said nothing and just focused on the two teenagers checking out the car. It was nice to see Trunks this excited.

* * *

It wasn't until much later when Vegeta and Bulma were completely alone. Trunks and Mai had decided to go over to Goten's and Gohan's to spend the night, Pilaf dropping the kids off. Vegeta didn't mind having the teenagers around, but he had to admit that having Bulma all to himself was appealing. The two had worked together, cleaning the kitchen and washing the dishes. The mundane tasks always seemed to feel so intimate when he was with Bulma, especially with all the glances she cast his way.

Vegeta was lying in bed as Bulma changed into pajamas. He watched her movements, smirking. He knew that, moments later, he be making all that effort pointless. Truthfully, he had trouble containing himself, but he prided himself in his self-control. Bulma would not know what hit her when he finally did pounce.

Bulma sighed in contentment when she slid under the covers, and then she leaned over to kiss Vegeta's lips chastely. Vegeta responded uncharacteristically timid making Bulma smile. As she pulled away, though, Vegeta lips quirked up in a smirk, and his arms instantly gripped her and flipped her over on the bed.

She looked up at him, her eyes wide before her expression radiated with love. Vegeta responded instantly, covering Bulma's form with his before passionately consuming her. Bulma's muffled moans only spurred Vegeta further into action. Very quickly, his hands shifted to remove Bulma's pajama top, and the woman hardly protested. Vegeta pulled away to remove the fabric, and Bulma took that moment to re-voice the words that always moved Vegeta to action.

"I love you."

As per usual, his kissed her as a response, but this time he made sure to speak his own confession. Bulma's eyes filled with tears of joy as the room was filled with Vegeta whispers of love. It had truly been a wonderful Christmas for them both, their hearts full of spirit and warmth.

* * *

It was a quiet night, and Broly was thankful.

This was the first Christmas where the man was alone. His father still hadn't tried to reconnect with him, and Broly knew it would never happen. Bulma had felt guilty and had kept inviting him over for holidays, but Broly had struggled during Thanksgiving. There had been too many people, and the apartment had been so noisy. Broly hadn't expressed this to Bulma. She was honestly just trying to be there for him. He was lucky to have a friend like her.

To this day, Broly still couldn't accept what his father had done. Everything had worked out, but Broly's thoughts kept shifting to the past when he had been in Trunks's position. It was such a relief to know that the teenager was free, that his father hadn't succeeded in destroying the boy's life. He always enjoyed hearing updates from Bulma on how well Trunks and Mai were doing.

The snow started to fall, and it was fully dark outside now. The wind blew loudly interrupting Broly's desired silence. Soon after, Broly felt the headache he had been nursing that day worsen, something that always happened when the weather changed.

Well, it was getting late, and he was just about ready for bed. Besides, the next day he'd be going to work, and he had a meeting set with Vegeta. He had been stunned when his boss e-mailed him asking for the audience, and Broly had spent the majority of the day wondering what exactly it was about. He would soon be presented with an offer, one that would bring many changes to his current life that he never would have considered on this simple Christmas night.


	40. Chapter 39

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

Since Christmas, the days had been peaceful. The day after, Broly had in fact met with Vegeta only for the CEO to offer Broly more responsibility in the records department. The record-keeper had felt shock. Never before in the years he worked there was he offered a promotion. He had been grateful when his pay had been increased, and he never expected more. He didn't even know if he wanted more responsibility.

When he had asked Vegeta why he was offering him the promotion, Vegeta explained that it was always his policy to reward loyalty, and Broly had shown a great deal of it towards him, his girlfriend, and Trunks. Vegeta knew that Broly had to be suffering in regards to his father, and Vegeta understood what that was like, but Broly had stuck to his principles and done the right thing, and so he had earned the right to step up, but only if he wanted to accept. Broly wasn't sure if he'd be able to handle a higher position. He was content with his current lot, but he didn't want to disappoint his boss. Vegeta was offering what others would dream of, and so, against his better judgement, he accepted, and Vegeta agreed to get started on the paperwork right away.

The rest of the week was filled with shopping, family fun time, and a whole lot of Christmas leftovers and cookies. The kids had gone out ice-skating once since neither Mai nor Trunks had ever tried, but when they had come both rationalized all of the reasons why they would never do that again. Mainly, they had both fallen enough times to be sore each time they tried to help the other up. Eventually, they had given up on that endeavor and practically crawled off the ice.

And now it was New Years' Eve, and everyone was excited to start the new year with a clean slate. It was just the four of them: Bulma, Vegeta, Trunks, and Mai. They had a bunch of food around, including wings from their favorite place. There were cheese platters, but everyone had taken to using the bottle of spray cheese with their crackers. Instead of wine, Bulma had gotten sparkling grape juice for the kids to enjoy. Vegeta was the only one drinking a beer, though he did let Trunks sneak a taste. The teenager cringed, and Vegeta chuckled. He had known that his favorite beer was an acquired taste.

Bulma, of course, caught many moments between her son and Vegeta, and she felt joy and awe over how well the two got along. It had always been a concern that whoever she dated wouldn't accept her son or learn to tolerate his existence, but Vegeta did. She was thankful for the day he tried to pick her up, though she was certain they would have eventually met anyway since he knew Raditz. His connection to her life made it clear that they were meant to be.

Something strange had been happening lately, though. Believe it or not, Bulma started noticing similarities between Trunks and Vegeta that it was almost uncanny. At first she had chalked it up to them living in the same home for so long, but then she would see certain mannerisms in both of them that she had always witnessed in Trunks, like how on weekends only they'd get up in the late morning and come to the breakfast table leaning on their crossed arms and grunting when she greeted them before offering a tempered smirk. They would find humor in similar things when watching movies or the television and chuckle in the same manner.

Because of this, Bulma's mind started working in overdrive, and Vegeta's story of being a sperm donor was at the forefront. The likelihood of what she was thinking was so low, but it started striking her all the time that she was becoming increasingly interested and agitated. She needed to know.

This need had grown so strong that she was haunted by it and would zone out quite often. On this night, seeing them so close to one another, she simply observed them, but her gaze never left. They both noticed how intently the woman was staring and, at the same time, they asked, "What's wrong?" Bulma had forced a smile, assuring them that it was nothing, but she came to make a decision.

She needed to do her own investigation. It was a long shot, she knew that, but it was something she needed to know, no matter what the answer.

* * *

A couple days later, on Bulma's day off, she decided to start on this endeavor. She figured out a way to get information covertly, contacting Juu's brother, Jay. He worked at the police station, and she hoped he could order a DNA test, say it was for some investigation. Bulma hoped he would help her. So, here she was, in a café waiting for him. He had no idea that they were meeting for more than a cup of coffee.

"I knew you'd call one day," Jay teased when he arrived, smiling deviously. "Couldn't resist my charm."

Bulma laughed. "After eight years, I call you. It's pretty safe to say I'm not interested."

"Ouch," Jay chuckled. "You _were_ the one who asked _me_ out for coffee."

"Does everyone know that's a thing?" Bulma huffed before shaking her head. "In any case, that's not why I called you here."

"Oh?" Jay questioned. "By all means, do tell. What's up?"

At first, Bulma wanted to dodge the question, but then she confided in Jay about what she knew. She didn't give too many personal details about Vegeta's life, only that he had donated samples and that she noticed similarities between her son and him. Jay had thought her to be joking, but he sobered up when Bulma wasn't laughing. His expression fell, and he admitted that he wasn't sure he wanted to be involved. "Come on, Bulma," he chided. "You can't honestly believe that Vegeta is your kid's father."

"It's not _that_ farfetched," she emphasized.

"It kind of is," Jay countered. "Anyway, if you're curious, why not ask this Vegeta guy to knowingly partake in a paternity test. Why go behind his back?"

Bulma sighed. "It's not that I don't want to tell him. Vegeta treats Trunks like his own son. I just don't want to disappoint anyone with the prospect, so I was hoping you could run a test. I have hair samples right here."

Jay shook his head as she took out the two ziplock bags. His eyes were pleading with her not to make him do this. He was still leery about the idea. "Come on, Jay," Bulma begged. "You can at least say it's for a personal investigation."

"I don't like this," Jay admitted, "but I can't see the harm in investigating this." He took the two bags. "I'll go to the hospital and order one, but if I get caught at work using my position for this, I'm going to deny involvement and say someone impersonated an officer."

"I get that," Bulma agreed, smiling at him. "Thank you."

The officer nodded, and then told her, "Now, it's going to take time, up to four weeks. I'll let you know when the results are in."

"Can't wait," Bulma chimed. "Thank you again."

Jay waved to Bulma as he left the café, planning to go straight to the hospital. In the meantime, Bulma planned to keep quiet. She meant what she said. There was no need to get everyone's hopes up.

* * *

Meanwhile, Mai was meeting with Juu to get her paperwork together for emancipation. It was early for that, too early, Mai thought, but Juu assured her it would take quite a bit of time before her paperwork was even looked at. She was practically on her own as it was, simply living with her boyfriend's family, but she had a job and her grades had jumped up in school. Mai was learning more about herself now that she didn't have pressure or fear from Zarbon, and she liked the person she was. It seemed she was very well put together. She hoped she was making her mother proud.

Of course, thoughts of her stepfather still haunted her. She hadn't mentioned to Trunks just how much. He knew she was worried about his trial. That would occur a week later, and it made her nervous. Trunks planned to keep her distracted during the week to try to keep her mind off of it, but she knew it would be impossible. Nightmares continued to remind her what was going on.

A small part of her, though, accepted that things would out. At least she had that going for her.

* * *

" _Vegeta Kurobushi,"_ a sickening voice droned. _"Thank you for taking my call."_

Vegeta's eyes narrowed. The CEO had had a pretty usual day, everything running smoothly and efficiently. He had met with the board, a new potential partner, and had lunch with Bulma after she had come in. Trunks and Mai had shown up after Mai met with Juu since they were off from school until the next day. Vegeta had been going over a report with Trunks, listening to the boy's input. As the day started to end, the phone at Trunks's desk ran, the teenager racing to answer it. "Ouji Corporation," he spoke smoothly. "Trunks Hamasaki speaking. How may I direct your call?" The teen paled, his voice becoming tighter. "Mr. Cold…it's…good to speak to you again, too."

The sound of that man's name bothered Vegeta, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. Trunks looked to him for guidance, and Vegeta nodded. He was reluctant to take the call, but he knew now how difficult Frieza could be. He used thinly veiled threats to get his way, and he already knew that Trunks and Bulma were related and close to him. "Could you please hold a moment while I transfer you? Mr. Kurobushi can take your call."

When Frieza got on the phone and spoke his name, Vegeta knew that he would be up to something. He was not surprised that he called; however, he was annoyed. He made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with the weapons trade, and he would never back down on that claim. "Of course," he responded. "What can I help you with today?"

The CEO laughed lightly before saying, _"I was hoping you had given more thought into making a deal."_

"To be honest, Frieza," Vegeta replied, trying not to hiss out the man's name, "I have no interest in working with a company that had a worker who put two children in harm's way."

" _Oh, that,"_ Frieza huffed. _"I meant what I said in the interview, Vegeta. I had no idea about any of it. Anyway, I chose to call now because I wanted to see if you'd be willing to strike a deal now that you had the time to think it over."_

"I meant what _I_ said before," Vegeta argued. "We at Ouji Corp. aren't interested in creating military devices."

" _Are you certain of that?"_ the Cold CEO questioned. _"If my sources are correct, aren't you already working on something for NASA?"_

Vegeta's eyes widened as he pulled back the phone as if her were asking the piece of plastic what he had just heard. What source told him something like that? It had to be a rumor. If it wasn't, Vegeta had no idea about it. "I have no idea what you're talking about. This conversation is over." He hung up before Frieza could say anything else, and then he left his office.

"Hey," Trunks called out warily. He could already tell Vegeta was upset. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find your mother," Vegeta told him, looking back only for a moment before he was gone. If anyone knew what was going on, it would be Bulma. Surely, she could put the rumor to rest.

He found her at her desk studying a document very carefully. Vegeta always admired Bulma's concentration and loved watching how her brow would crease as she leaned in when she was getting closer to a new thought or solution. Unfortunately, he had to intrude, and Bulma had been startled. A smile almost formed until she saw the dark expression shrouding his face. "Is something wrong?"

"I got a call from Frieza." Bulma practically turned white. "He said that he heard we were working on something for NASA. It's a rumor, yes?"

Bulma was dazed by his words and slowly shook her head confirming Frieza's claim. "I mean, we aren't officially working on anything for NASA. There's no deal or anything. I've simply been researching gravity simulation on my own. I haven't made any plans or created anything yet, just reading theories. I haven't even told anyone I was looking into the technology, not even Trunks or Goku which has been hard because it's been really exciting. I'm looking to create a gravity simulation room. I don't know if the science could be achieved, yet."

"That's…" Vegeta breathed out, awed. "That's impressive, Bulma. As amazed as I am, though, I am not thrilled that Frieza has found out about this. I have no idea how he could even get that information if you've been so quite about it."

"What does that mean?" Bulma asked.

Vegeta scoffed and then sighed, shaking his head. "What that means, woman, is that there is either a leak in the company or a breach somewhere in our system."

"Oh," Bulma remarked. "Do you…do you want me to drop the project?"

"Not yet," he answered, meeting her eyes. "I don't mind you doing research on the topic. Keep researching, but just be very careful with any information you decided to share and with whom."

Bulma nodded, looking down to her desk in shame, her hair covering her face. "I'm sorry, Vegeta."

He walked over to her, moving the hair from her face, gently lifting her chin so she could meet his eyes. "Stop it," he chided. "You did nothing wrong, Bulma."

She offered him a smile, and he could see that deep down inside she still struggled with the issue of blame. It had been a long time since she seemed bothered by something like that, so at least that was a step in the right direction. He bent down, kissing her lips lightly, and she responded immediately. As he pulled away, the woman he knew and loved cheekily stated, "I thought we were on the clock."

Vegeta simpered, chuckling at her antics. "Screw the clock." Then he kissed her again, as if to prove a point.

* * *

Later on, the four tried to have a normal night as a family, despite whatever chaos was going outside of their unit. They had had a nice dinner, Trunks and Mai offering to wash the dishes since Vegeta and Bulma had cooked it all. Vegeta had then gone to watch the news, Trunks following along making Bulma smile. She and Mai had decided to bake cookies, something Mai really seemed to enjoy. Since she had missed out on so much with her own mother, Bulma made every effort to engage the girl. The two had fallen into conversation while they worked. "So, how has school been?"

Mai smiled, thankful that Bulma always seemed to take such a sincere interest in her. "Since the trial, a lot better? Everyone outside of our group keeps asking me how I feel about Zarbon's trial, though. It's happening more and more now that it's so close."

Bulma frowned at that, and she moved to squeeze the teenager's should in comfort. "I know it's nerve-wracking, but I wouldn't worry so much. There is so much evidence against him this time, hence why he's been in jail all this time. I have no doubt in my mind that he'll be convinced. You'll be fully free. You're already almost there, and very safe here. We'll keep you protected."

"I know," Mai agreed, a soft smile gracing her features. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

"I have some idea," Bulma assured her with a chuckle. "Anyway, trust me, Mai. Everything _will_ be okay. It may not make the nerves go completely away, but it's the truth. And if you ever feel like talking more about it or anything else you might be feeling, we're all here for you. You're a part of this family."

Mai's eyes gleamed with joy at such a loving, considerate invitation. She had already known that Bulma cared about her, but the fact that she saw her as one of her own made Mai feel so overwhelmed and thankful. Just a few short months ago she was beaten and broken, and now she was on her way to becoming her own person. There really wasn't anything to fear; she could accept that logically.

"Hey, guys, come on!" Trunks called into the kitchen. "We're about to pick a movie."

"We're coming," Bulma answered back, exchanging coy glances with Vegeta. Mai couldn't help but smile at the interaction. The couple seemed so happy around each other, and that taught her a lot. She knew they had to be in love, and even their simplest moments seemed so full of life and passion. The teenager could only hope that she and Trunks would be that way one day. Of course, they were still young. Their relationship was simple in its own right yet incredibly complicated.

She hoped that, during the new year, she would be able to find beauty and peace in all of the little things and begin to leave her past behind her. She didn't want to be dragged down by it ever again.

* * *

As the days passed by, Vegeta had launched a full investigation on how the secrets of the company had been leaked. He had even gone so far as to bring in the police to sweep the place, and they had indeed found something troubling. Bulma's research had been leaked because her office had been bugged. At first, it seemed impossible to trace until one of the techs found the receiver in Paragus's office when he was deleting private information from the former employee's computer. Bulma must have been doing this research for quite a while since Paragus had been fired soon after Trunks's trial. Could Frieza have known about the project when he proposed the deal to Vegeta at the conference? Had Paragus really leaked Bulma's idea to Cold Enterprises?

With all of these questions circulating throughout the company, the board had called an emergency meeting. They were all furious over what had happened, and they wanted to file charges against Paragus immediately. Vegeta shook his head. He knew it would be a waste of time and resources. Besides, all that he really knew was the name of the project, the gravity room. Bulma didn't realize it at the time, but she had talked to herself just a little bit as she came up with the ideas making a joke to herself that a room like that could benefit NASA. That was all Paragus could have really gotten from the recording. Bulma had just shouted it out while looking at some unknown equation. No, Vegeta would not charge Paragus and bring more attention to the project and the company. Instead, he would do damage control with Frieza, maybe even lie and say that they believed whoever leaked the information was a disgruntled employee trying to cause trouble. That wasn't far off the mark. From a certain point of view, it was spot on.

Throughout the investigation, Bulma had been a little jittery. Of course, it was completely unrelated to work. Her mind kept going back to her own personal investigation. It was starting to drive her crazy.

First off, she wasn't talking to _anyone_ about it. With anything in her life, she always had some confidant she could trust. She wasn't used to lying. She wasn't used to keeping secrets from everyone, which to her was just as bad as lying, especially not Goku who she normally told everything to. So, when she had accidentally run into her friend at the grocery store and he asked her what was new since New Years', Bulma tried to tell him everything else that happened leaving out the DNA test and her crazy thoughts.

Goku could see right through her chatter. He knew her ways to get out of saying something, and she was much too frantic. He knew something had to be up and tried to get her to admit to it, asking more specific questions. All he really learned was that it had nothing to do with her relationship to Vegeta and that the kids were okay.

When Bulma tried to leave without telling him what had her so anxious, Goku panicked and grabbed her arms holding her tightly. Bulma's expression calmed and softened as she placed her hands on his and gently squeezed trying to reassure him. Once again, she assured him nothing was wrong, but this time she admitted that she just didn't want to say anything yet and would tell him eventually. Goku was left feeling even more worried, but he agreed to let it go. After they parted ways, Goku immediately pulled out his phone to look up the number to Ouji Corp. He needed to make sure Bulma would be okay. She would do the same for him.

* * *

Trunks was really excited. Now that the fall sports were over, martial arts was starting up, and both Gohan and Videl had joined the team. Mai and Valese came to the first practice to watch their boyfriends and friends, and they were surprised to see Paigen there. She seemed much different, cheering for her new boyfriend as he sparred with one of the other students. The two girls exchanged curious looks and smiles. It looked like the girl would no longer cause trouble for either of them. They were free to watch the sparring matches in peace.

As Mai watched Trunks move, she felt a pull inside of her. Sure she had seen him play football, but this was different. He moved differently, and watching him practically hypnotized him. Valese noticed Mai's eyes never leaving Trunks and the way she tensed just a little bit. She smiled and shook her head. "He really is something, huh?" she spoke, earning Mai's attention. "You can't even take your eyes off of him."

Mai's face turned completely red for she had been caught staring, basically ogling him. She was completely embarrassed and felt guilty at looking at him in such a way, but it just never occurred to her. She knew she loved him, knew she felt safe with him, but it never really hit her that she was attracted to him. She always knew he was good-looking, but thoughts and feelings like this never arose in her, probably because she was so focused on other situations. "That's not a bad thing, is it?"

"Of course not," Valese giggled. "It's actually a good thing. The two of you were made for each other. We can all see it."

"I could say the same about you and Goten," Mai retorted kindly, the two of them smiling. "How is he doing? You guys are doing okay?"

Valese nodded. "He's much more open about what he's feeling now, mainly because he knows how much he terrified all of us. He hasn't stopped taking his meds. He realized that was the worst move he could have made. We've just decided to focus on us, honestly. The past is the past, and I love him and just want to be with him. I don't care what that entails, as long as we're together."

Mai couldn't help but smile and nod in agreement. Honestly, she felt the same way about Trunks, too. He had been there for her when no one else was, and he treated her like gold. He always took into consideration how she felt, never pressured her. He'd make her talk about her feelings. What Valese was doing for Goten, Trunks had done for her. There was no question in her mind. Trunks was nothing short of amazing, and she was lucky to have ever met him.

After Trunks's victory against some random classmate she had never seen or met before, Trunks went over to where Goten and Gohan were, the three of them watching while Videl was fighting. Mai smiled at the group before looking at her phone to check the time. She regretted her action immediately seeing that there was an update to Zarbon's case. This was the reason she had even come with them, to try to keep her mind off her abuser. She had even forgotten the trial was that day. Now, it was all she could think of.

It came as both a relief and horror that Zarbon had been convicted for assault, abuse, and for obstruction of justice from lying to CPS and all officers to impede the investigations on his actions. He would have to pay an astronomical fine and would spend ten years in prison. That should have made her feel so much better, but she paled mainly because she could picture Zarbon's anger. Flashes of memories struck her, and she started to shake.

Valese noticed that something was wrong and she tried to calm her down, but her friend wouldn't stop shaking. Her breathing was starting to become ragged as she curled up inside of herself and tried to hide and protect herself from the world around her. She was waiting for someone to come and drag her away. She closed her eyes, trying to center herself, but it didn't work. It just made her more afraid. When she opened them, Trunks was already kneeling down in front of her gazing upon her with worried eyes. "Hey," he whispered softly, his soothing voice already making her relax slightly. "Are you okay? Do you want to go for a walk?"

Mai shook her head, but then looked around. Everyone in the room was watching them, and that alone was making her feel more paranoid. Her answer quickly changed. She nodded instead and reached a shaky hand out to him. Trunks offered her a smile, taking her hand in his and squeezing it tightly, lacing their fingers together.

The left the building and walked around to the side where they wouldn't be seen, both leaning against the concrete. Mai still seemed troubled as Trunks studied her nervously. It had been a long time since he had seen the glimpse of terror in her eyes. "Wanna tell me what happened?"

Mai shook her head before she said, "Zarbon is going away for ten years."

"Isn't that a good thing?" her boyfriend asked, clearly confused by her reaction to the news.

The teenager nodded, agreeing with that. "It is," she admitted, "but…I can't explain it, Trunks. One moment I was checking the time and seeing the update, and the next I kept picturing Zarbon's anger and, all of a sudden, I wasn't in the gym anymore, but lying on the floor of my old room in horrible pain." Trunks didn't say anything, but his grip tightened around her hand and he held her close to him. Mai's first reaction was to push him away, and the sullen and worried look he gaze her made Mai feel awful. She hated that betrayed expression, but she couldn't make it better. "I…I think I need a moment alone. You should go back inside."

Trunks was reluctant to let Mai out of his sight while she felt like this, but he knew she'd be safe. Zarbon would no longer be able to hurt her. "Alright," he confirmed, his posture tense and gaze only slightly hardened with seriousness. "I take it you're going to head home. Just…call me if you need anything, or, if you want, you can call my mom to pick you up. She's off today."

"I know," Mai said, smiling slightly. "I think I'll be okay to walk home. I mean, Zarbon's in prison. He can't get to me."

Mai didn't expect Trunks's next action. Her boyfriend swiftly moved to take her hand once again, this time kissing the back of it with such affection before releasing her. She could tell he wanted to reach out to her and embrace her, but he was probably trying to prevent her from having a similar reaction than she did moments ago. Mai cast him a sad glance as she waved goodbye. She still felt so awful, but what she didn't know was that Trunks felt worse for her considering that she was reliving anything because of Zarbon. That was not something he wanted for her, and he was glad that Zarbon would have to pay for his actions against her. His only regret was that his sentence was only for ten years and not longer. Either way, ten years from then would be a lot different.

* * *

After running around the city quite a bit for the last hour, Vegeta was back in his office. He needed to get some distance from the place after he had spoken to Frieza earlier to reject the rumors. During their conversation, he reiterated that he wanted nothing to do with the proposed deal, and Frieza had been less than thrilled.

He honestly hadn't wanted to return to the office at all, but he still had some reports to read and some calls to make, and he refused to leave his work unfinished. When the phone rang, though, he glared at it. He was reluctant to answer at first because he had no desire to talk to anyone the second he returned. Still, the number was unfamiliar, and it could very well be a new business calling in. He reluctantly answered it. "Ouji Corporation," he smoothly recited. "Vegeta Kurobushi speaking."

" _Thank God I finally got you!"_ a familiar, yet surprising voice spoke. Vegeta pulled the phone away to gawp at it before he tentatively put the receiver by his ear to listen to his girlfriend's best friend. _"I've been trying to get ahold of you all day!"_

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "What reason do you have calling me at work?" he grunted. "I'm certain Bulma could have relayed any message. I'm very busy."

" _That's just it,"_ Goku replied. _"I'm calling_ about _Bulma."_

That wasn't what Vegeta expected to hear. His brow furrowed in concern. Was Bulma sick? He couldn't be sure. He was certain she would have called his cell or texted while he was out. "Is she all right?" was the question that left Vegeta's lips.

Goku hesitated, and Vegeta heard him suck in some air. _"Well, honestly…I have no idea. I ran into her earlier, and she just seemed off. I tried asking her about it, but she just kept saying she was fine until she finally admitted whatever was bothering her she just didn't want to talk about it. I just…I needed to make sure she was okay. You haven't noticed anything, have you?"_

To be honest, he hadn't, not with the investigation going on. He knew she had been nervous and jittery, but that was probably because she had been bugged. Maybe that was it. "Did she tell you about the investigation?"

" _Yeah, she told me,"_ Goku stated. _"She seemed fine about it, though. No, this had to be something else. Vegeta…I know you don't know me all that well, and I probably don't have to ask this, but Bulma is family to me. Please, just look out for her, because now I'm really worried."_

"You're right," Vegeta declared. "You don't have to ask me. I'll make sure she's fine, but let me remind you that Bulma is a highly capable woman, and if something major was getting to her, I'm sure she would come to either me or you. She speaks very well of you."

That seemed to calm Goku down. _"I know you're right,"_ he stated. _"I just can't help but worry. Bulma means a lot to me. She's helped me in ways I can't even describe to you. Thanks for humoring me, though, and I'm sorry for calling at work. Just the anxiety… I just want her to be okay, and the anxiety doesn't help, you know?"_

Vegeta nodded, though the other man couldn't see it. "I'm sure it doesn't. It's fine; don't worry. Bulma is in good hands." He hung up the phone, and the conversation, and he felt stunned over the fact that Goku had called him. Something struck him about the conversation, and that was that Bulma was bothered by something he wasn't aware of, and neither was her friend. He knew Bulma told Goku everything, so this didn't sit well with him or her friend. He'd have to deal with Goku later, and he'd have to make sure to give the man both his work and cell number just in case something like this ever happened again so he wouldn't have to struggle through the hell of the regular company line. There was no need to allow Goku to be worked up over the safety and wellbeing of his friend. That was just cruelty. He'd have to worry about that later, though. For now, he needed to finish his work so he could go home and check on Bulma. Even he, now, was worried.

* * *

Mai hadn't called Bulma like Trunks had suggested. Instead, she decided to walk home in the cold and was shivering. It probably wasn't her best idea, but she needed to be alone. Still, it was a bad call. For whatever reason, Mai felt like she was being watched each time she took a step. Ever since her freak out at the gym, she had been on edge. It was stupid; she knew that. She hadn't been around Zarbon's in months. After the last time he hurt her, she had been watched and kept safe in the hospital until Trunks's trial, and then she was able to return to his home since he was proven innocent. No, Zarbon had been ruled guilty and was out of her life for good, but something happened in the gym. She let herself think of the man, and now she felt like he was right there with her, watching her. As irrational as it was, she rushed home, beginning to feel her chest tighten as her breathing escalated. She knew she was close, and her anxiety was starting to skyrocket. She just wanted to get inside. It was safe there.

She made it home right as Bulma did, and the blue-haired woman was happy to see Mai until she noticed the girl frantically running towards her. Mai collided with her, and Bulma wrapped her arms around the teenager, attempting to soothe her as she sobbed against her chest. Bulma was at a loss for words and didn't know what to do. She tried to question the girl, but Mai wouldn't respond to it, at least not well. After a while, she managed to calm Mai down enough, but she was still shaking and struggling to breathe. Bulma convinced Mai to come with her to the car, noting her paranoia. Despite having never seen Goku reach that point, she could gather that Mai was having a panic attack, and the concerned mother had no idea what caused it. The best thing to do was to take Mai to the hospital. She would call Juu along the way. Something was wrong, and they needed to get to the bottom of it.


	41. Chapter 40

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

Trunks had headed over to the company after he left the school, mind preoccupied with Mai. He couldn't believe or understand what had happened to her, and he was really worried. It was great news that Zarbon would be going away for so long. Still, Trunks wished it was for life. Maybe Mai was frantic over what would happen ten years later. Well, Trunks already knew he still wanted to be with her. Hopefully by then they'll be married and off on their own somewhere, somewhere far, far away from Zarbon.

At the company, he managed to be productive. Actually, despite his deep concern, he was able to get his work done quickly. It had been a good distraction for the time being. Vegeta had asked him if he wanted to leave early with him and do some filing work on his computer when they returned home. The teenager jumped on the opportunity wanting to give more time to the internship, but also wanting to be with Mai. He was so lucky and thankful that Vegeta had been so understanding about everything. Trunks mentally promised to make it a point to do much, much more with the company, as much as Vegeta and his mother would allow.

They came home to an empty house, and both men were concerned. Between the phone call Vegeta received and how Mai left Trunks at the school, no one would blame them for being worried. Of course, neither said anything, and Trunks got to work on his filing task while Vegeta watched him work. Eventually, the two women returned, and Trunks practically leapt over to Mai wondering and asking if she was all right. His answer was not ideal. Mai started to shake her head, started crying, and then pushed passed him before running upstairs to her room and slamming the door shut.

Trunks looked over to Bulma, his eyes pleading for answers. The mother had released a sigh and walked over to her son, placing her hands on his shoulders. Her words stunned the teenager. "Mai just needs some time," she started, her voice soft. "Earlier today, she had an anxiety attack. The doctor at the hospital thinks she has complex PTSD."

Her son was at a loss of what to do.

* * *

Dinner was quiet, unusually so. Despite Bulma's warning, Trunks had gone to Mai's room, but she refused to come down when Trunks had tried to talk to her. He felt so helpless. Vegeta and Bulma exchanged glances, especially when Trunks started playing with his food more than eating it. Bulma cleared her throat to earn attention. "So…how was your day, overall? How are the others doing?"

Trunks knew what his mother was doing, attempting to break the tense silence. He didn't want her to worry about him or Goten or Gohan, so he humored her. "It was fine," he impassively stated, his voice devoid of energy. "I won a couple of spars at MA. Coach Piccolo was impressed. Goten and Gohan won their spars as well, and Videl handled herself well, beating her opponent."

"Nice work," Vegeta praised, and he saw Trunks smile just a little bit. "Take pride in those victories."

"Yeah, I know," the teen whispered, but then he became quiet once again. He finally confessed, "I'm sorry. I'm just really worried."

Bulma placed her hand on her son's and offered him a weak smile. "We all are," she informed him softly, "but Mai will come to us when she's ready. She just needs some time to process."

"Yeah," her son agreed, and that was the end of that.

"Do you want to play a game or watch a movie?" Vegeta asked, feeling very out of his element. He didn't know what to do for the boy except distract him from all of this. Bulma flashed him a thankful smile. It seemed that was the right move, after all.

"If it's okay with you guys," Trunks murmured, "I think I just want to be alone for a little bit."

"That's okay, sweetie," Bulma responded. "You just relax. I'll put your dinner away in case you want it later."

"Thanks, mom," Trunks answered before getting up from the table. Vegeta watched as the boy headed for the living room and dropped down on the couch. His eyes wandered to the woman, and he wondered if this had been what was bothering her, but he immediately shot that idea down. This, she would have told her friend and him had she known ahead of time. No, this had to have just happened.

Still, when the two were in the room, and Bulma was explaining what happened, he did ask her if that was why she had been acting off earlier in the day. Bulma was confused by the question for she hadn't thought she was acting any different, and Vegeta explained that Goku had gotten ahold of him at work with very high anxiety. The woman felt bad for worrying her friend and him. She really hadn't expected either her best friend or her lover to see through her nerves and think something was wrong. "It's nothing, really," she assured sincerely. "If it becomes something, trust me, I'll tell you. I promise you, it's nothing bad."

Vegeta didn't like the cryptic answer, but he let it go. Bulma had been through enough for the day, and he was keyed up because of Frieza. For now, he just wanted to relax, just sit with his woman. He didn't really care what they did. "I'm still up for a movie if you are," he offered, and Bulma smiled brightly at him.

They put on some random cooking competition instead of a movie, and Vegeta pulled Bulma close to him. They were in their bed, lying down and cuddling together. Neither moved for a while, and Vegeta would be reluctant to admit he actually started to doze. It was enough for him, for now, that Bulma admitted she was okay and would tell him if whatever it was became something big. Where it left him curious and wondering, he had to trust her. She hadn't let him down before.

* * *

Trunks remained downstairs, surfing channels while bathing in the light of the Christmas decorations they had yet to take down. He didn't want to admit it to his mother or Vegeta, but he was really upset that Mai was struggling so much. A part of him wished that he could have decked Zarbon, but he knew that wouldn't have solved anything and certainly wouldn't have taken this away. Now, he just wished that he knew what to do.

After a while, he heard footsteps above him, and eventually Mai made her way down the stairs, slowly making her way towards him. He tossed the remote aside, watching her cautiously and remaining unmoving not wanting to deter her. As she walked over and reached him, she timidly pressed herself into him, sitting down on his lap. She gripped him around his neck and hugged him tightly, afraid to let go. Trunks released the breath he had been holding and embraced her, wrapping his arms around her protectively. He pressed his forehead against hers and waited for her to speak.

When the silence became too much, Mai started to tell him what the doctor had told her. "He said I was a rare case," she admitted. "Normally someone with PTSD would show symptoms right away, and it should have been over three to six months later. Complex PTSD, though, is associated with years or trauma and abuse. I still would have shown signs, though."

"What are the signs?" Trunks asked keeping his voice low. It soothed Mai a bit, but she was still tense.

"Guilt and distrust," she started to list. "Searching for a rescuer and then distancing oneself. Having hallucinations, like I did today…stuff like that."

"You've been experiencing all of that," Trunks pointed out. "I mean, we all believed it was anxiety, because who wouldn't be anxious, but maybe that was just the start."

Mai shook her head against his, shutting her eyes tight. "I don't want this. I should be able to get over it. It has been months…shouldn't I be stronger than that?"

"This doesn't make you weak," Trunks argued. "You've been through a lot, Mai. It's normal to feel this way, even if it's a 'rare' case as the doctor said. You were hurt, physically and emotionally. It's going to take time. You'll get past it eventually."

"What if I can't?" Mai questioned.

"You will," Trunks guaranteed, "but even if you didn't, I'd still be right here by your side."

Mai nodded before her grip tightened. "I'm afraid to be alone."

Trunks understood, his hand entangling itself in her hair. "From now on, we'll do whatever you want or need to do. I'm with you on this. Just tell me what you want. Whatever you need, I'll do it."

His girlfriend hesitated, but swallowed her nerves down. "Can you…can you stay with me tonight?"

"Of course," Trunks agreed softly, gently stroking her temple. "Let's head up. You look exhausted." She certainly felt it, too. "Unless you're hungry. You didn't come down for dinner."

"No, I'm fine," she muttered weakly. "What about you? Did you eat?"

Trunks didn't want to worry her, and he had taken a few bites. "Yeah, I'm good," he told her. To be honest, he just wanted her to get some rest.

Then went upstairs to get ready for bed. Trunks could tell that Mai was feeling incredibly shaky every step she took. She didn't even want him to leave the room as she got changed. He looked away, blushing, as Mai disrobed and went to put on her nightgown. Her hand grazed his shoulder, signaling that she was dressed, and he shivered at the contact, clenching his eyes tighter before he opened them and moved to get into the bed.

Trunks was spooning Mai, rubbing comforting circles on her stomach. Mai did tense a couple of times, probably having some sort of reaction to memories or something else. Perhaps she just felt guilty. Either way, Trunks wanted to be certain she knew he was him, so he softly hummed the song they danced to at homecoming in her ear, and then she relaxed. He could feel her melting into him and even moved to see whether she was asleep or not. He smiled when he realized that she had completely drifted off and was out like a light. That was a relief. She needed rest.

A contented sigh escaped the teenager as he sunk into the bed, tightening his grip around her waist. He didn't know what would happen in the future, had no idea how long Mai would have to suffer with this, but he did know one thing. He meant what he said. Trunks would be there for her through it all, no matter what.

* * *

Valentine's Day had finally come around, the month going by in such a blur. Bulma still hadn't heard on the results of the DNA test. Now, it had preoccupied her mind so much that even Vegeta began to notice her flighty behavior. He wanted to know what was up, but she had promised she'd tell him about whatever it was eventually, so he chose to focus on something else.

It was the first Valentine's Day he was celebrating in many decades.

This fact alone made him want it to be special for Bulma, maybe even take her mind off of whatever had been bothering her. He decided to take her out to dinner, but she was still preoccupied and fidgeting. He finally decided to speak up. A sigh escaped him. "Bulma," he softly called, and her attention was on him. "You've been like this for weeks. What's wrong?" The woman's eyes widened, and she shook her head as if to say "nothing." Vegeta continued to press. "Does it have to do with Trunks or Mai, or Goku or Goten, or your family?" She shook her head again and took his hand, squeezing it. His eyes widened. "Is it about me?"

"No," she said a bit too quickly before she sighed. "It's nothing like that, Vegeta. I'm just waiting to receive some important information, and I don't want to say anything yet because it might be a disappointment."

"Is it about your health?" Vegeta questioned, but Bulma sincerely assured him it wasn't. His expression sobered and softened with relief. "When will you hear by?"

She laughed and shook her head. "That's why I've been so nervous," she explained. "I was given an estimated time limit, and it's been a bit longer than I thought."

Vegeta relaxed at that, understanding that sentiment. He decided to let it go once she assured him that she was okay. As long as she was healthy, he couldn't really complain. Sure, he wanted to know, but he could wait if he had to. Bulma was not one to lie, so he would wait it out with her and hope for the best for her. It was the least he could do.

* * *

This day really hadn't been going according to plan. Originally, Trunks and Mai were going to take advantage of having the apartment to themselves to celebrate their first Valentine's Day as a couple. Trunks had given Mai a lot of ideas trying to gage what she wanted most for a while, and he had everything set that he wanted to do. At the last bit of the school day, the group of friends had met at their lockers discussing their plans. When Valese asked Trunks and Mai what they were going to do, Trunks was about to announce his plans. He looked so excited, too.

With everything going on, though, Mai had no desire to celebrate anything. She had started psychotherapy and was trying an antidepressant she wasn't sure on. There were always risks when trying new medications that she was being watched by her therapist and Bulma carefully. In therapy, she was forced to talk about the things that made her uncomfortable. It was supposed to help her in the long run, but right now she felt so small. They wanted to get her to change her thinking, but it just seemed so hard, and Mai was beginning to feel agitated. Before Trunks could even get a word out, she announced in front of all their friends that she didn't want to celebrate. Trunks had looked so affronted, taken aback, and Mai couldn't look at him the whole way home.

They were home now, and Mai was showering. She felt so drained from all the emotional upheaval she had been experiencing. Now, the memory of Trunks's hurt expression after she had said what she had around the others made her feel guilty. Sighing, she shook her head feeling horrible, and she cried over her guilt and felt beyond pathetic.

Wrapped in her fluffy bath robe, she exited the bathroom and walked to her room noticing that Trunks's door was closed. She sighed and looked away in shame. He was probably really upset with her, but he would never tell her because he was always more worried about her than himself. It made her feel worse as she remembered the other times she had set him off with her words. She had been bitter and angry, frightened over her situation. According to her therapist, anger was one of the emotions she'd feel quite often. That pissed her off more than she cared to admit. Why couldn't things just go back to the way they were, where she didn't feel this way? Why couldn't she be normal?

She entered her room, and immediately she was shocked to find a box of chocolates and a rose on her bed with a note. In a daze, she went to read the note written by her boyfriend. _Mai,_ he wrote. _I know you've been having a rough time since your diagnosis, so tonight, please just relax. You don't have to worry about celebrating. Just know I love you. I left for a bit just to get dinner for us, nothing fancy. I just went to the end of the street to get a couple of burgers. The door is locked to make sure you're safe, and I brought keys so if anyone knocks it isn't me. I hope you enjoy the chocolates. I'll get you when I get everything set up._

Mai was completely surprised by his gesture after being so certain that she had upset and angered him. Once again, he amazed her, turning his disappointment into something incredibly sweet. She barely had a moment to process what she was feeling for she heard the downstairs door open and close. Trunks was already home, and her first instinct was to go to meet him.

Trunks could hear Mai's timid footsteps, and he smiled. She must have already seen his note. He looked up to greet her, but blushed instantly when he took in her robed form. It wasn't closed very well up top, so he finally looked away and chuckled. "We have to stop meeting like this," he teased, thinking back to the night where she had gotten changed in front of him without a care.

His girlfriend eyed him strangely and then looked down at herself yelping as she attempted to cover herself up. Trunks's chuckled again, his smooth voice easing her a bit as well as his embarrassment and flushed cheeks. He continued his task of getting the burgers on the plates not looking at her once. She was able to readjust her robe to be a bit more modest. He peeked his blue eyes out cautiously and then made full eye contact when he noticed she had fixed her attire. He offered her a shy smile. "I expected you to be upstairs resting when I got back," Trunks told her. "I was going to bring the food to you and suggest just eating in your room tonight watching some rom coms."

"Trunks…"

"I know you don't want to celebrate and go all out, and I'm fine with that," he assured her, "but I couldn't let you go hungry. Plus, I figured this could your mind off of things, and I love you, and I figured that maybe this would be okay for out first Valentine's Day as a couple. But if you just want eat and rest on your own, I would totally understand. There is no pressure, okay?"

It was more than okay. Mai was so overwhelmed with emotion that she didn't think as she launched herself into Trunks's arms. He managed to catch her, surprised as she hugged him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Before he could ask what brought on her sudden movement, her lips met his in a passionate kiss, his eyes wide. He nearly dropped the food while placing the takeout container back on the table, and then he wrapped his finally free arms around her, holding her tightly and safely. She managed to pull him closer so that they were both leaning against the wall for support before he could feel her hands rubbing his back underneath his shirt. He gasped at the contact pulling back to try to gage what Mai was doing. In return, she simply guided him back to her, resuming their heated lip lock.

That's as far as Trunks allowed it to go for he started to feel a little hazy. He pulled away taking a few ragged breaths before he attempted to put some distance between them. He noticed Mai's nervous eyes. "W-What's wrong?"

He smiled at her and shook his head as he looked away. "I was starting to get a little _too_ into it," he explained. "I didn't think either of us would be ready for that…not yet."

Mai completely understood and flushed pink at the implication of Trunks's words. No, she wasn't ready for _that_ yet, but the fact that that was what they were starting to lead up to frightened her and she felt a little timid once again. Trunks gently traced her jaw with his thumb before placing a chaste kiss on her lips. Pulling back, he whispered, "Let's get you fed."

His words relaxed her, and then the two of them gathered their food and went up to Mai's room. She left the room for a moment to change out of her robe, and the couple fell into a peaceful rhythm conversing and receiving some much needed R&R.

* * *

The next evening, Bulma was working late having been held up at the lab, so Vegeta brought Trunks and Mai home with him. They had been home about an hour, the kids settled in upstairs doing schoolwork, when the phone rang. Vegeta was the one to answer it. "Hello?" he greeted.

" _Hello, this is Officer Jay."_ Vegeta had to credit himself for not falling apart when the officer introduced himself. He couldn't help but panic inside for it reminded him of the night he lost Ella. He relaxed when the officer asked, _"Is Bulma home?"_

"No," he answered, though he wondered why the officer was calling for his girlfriend.

The officer didn't miss a beat, but he sounded hesitant when he inquired his identity. _"Are you Vegeta?"_

Sarcastically, Vegeta scoffed, "No, I'm the sitter."

Jay must have believed him and started to relay his message. _"Oh, great. Just let her know that the DNA results she asked for came in, so she can pick them up at my house after my shift. I'm heading home now, and I'll leave the envelope in the mailbox. Thanks, man!"_

Jay hung up the phone leaving Vegeta astonished and speechless. He could not understand, even after he set the phone down, why Bulma would have needed a DNA test run by the police or why they'd be leery speaking to him. Both his curiosity and his paranoia were starting to get to him, the latter being experienced for the first time in a long while. He needed to know what was going on.

He could simply call Bulma and ask, but she had not necessarily been giving him answers as of late. These could be the results she was waiting for, but it still did not make sense to him. Shaking his head, he went upstairs to check on Trunks and Mai. The two were diligently working on their math homework, sprawled out on Trunks's floor. The lavender-haired teen looked up smiling until he recognized the rigidity and tense atmosphere around his mother's boyfriend. "Hey, Vegeta," he greeted. "Everything okay?"

"Yes," Vegeta replied curtly. "I need to run out for a moment. Will you two be all right on your own for a little while?" Trunks grinned and gave the flame-haired man a thumbs up, so Vegeta took his leave trying to ignore the warm feelings bubbling in his chest. He had to focus, now, on figuring out what was going on. He couldn't wait for Bulma to inform him.

* * *

Bulma finally made it back to her office ready to just go home. She wanted to be with her family and relax, the chaotic day having stressed her out a bit. Returning to her office, she started to shut everything down for the day and gather her belongings. When she grabbed her phone, she realized that it was off, so she turned it on and received a voicemail and decided to listen. _"Hey, Bulma. It's Jay. Your results are finally in. I'll be in my office a little longer before patrol, but I'll bring the results home with me in about an hour. They'll be in the mailbox. Hope it works out for you, darlin'."_

The woman pulled the phone away chuckling. Jay would always be a flirt, but at least he had toned it down since their talk. She glanced at the clock and decided she had plenty of time to get over there. Her apartment was on the way, so she'd check in with everyone first. Then she'd get her answers, and she could finally know the truth and tell the others about it if she was right.

Upon returning home, much to Bulma's surprise, the apartment was practically empty, and Vegeta was there, in the living room, sitting in the dark with wet hair from the rain. His dark eyes met hers, and Bulma actually felt intimidated. His arms were crossed, an envelope dangling from his fingertips. She gasped when she saw her name on it in big, red letters. "Woman, what is this?"

Unfortunately, Bulma couldn't answer. She was too shocked to reply. For a moment, it was like she had stopped breathing. There was only one thought in her mind. _How was she going to explain this?_


	42. Chapter 41

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

You know, I wasn't going to post today, but I'm in a good mood. I mean a really good mood. I just finished writing, not posting, one of my other stories, and it was just an all-around nice day, so here it is, the answer everyone has been waiting for almost a week.

* * *

"Woman, what is this?"

The sounds of the rain outside was all they could hear through deafening silence. Vegeta was awaiting Bulma's explanation, but there wasn't one the woman could think to give. She hadn't expected Vegeta to have the results, and it shocked her. Her reservation bothered Vegeta more than he cared to admit. When she finally spoke, it wasn't an answer. Instead, she was turning this back on him. "Where did you get that?" she whispered timidly.

He figured he'd be as direct as he always was. "An officer called here," he explained. "Said that results of a DNA test were in. He thought I was the sitter. Tell me, Bulma. Why did you have a DNA test run by the police, and why did they not want to discuss it with me? What were you trying to accomplish? Trying to learn something about me _without my knowledge?_ "

Bulma swallowed, off-put by the anger and accusation in Vegeta's voice. He never spoke to her that way, and she didn't know what to say to keep him from getting angrier. For the first time in the longest time, she was a bit scared over what the fallout would be despite how good her intentions were. It reminded her of her father, and she had to force down the tumultuous emotions threatening to release. "Th-That's…that's not what it is."

"Then what is it?" her boyfriend demanded coldly, eyes narrowed.

Her heart instantly jolted, and Bulma felt the flight response filling her. Dropping her head, she turned tail and ran from the apartment wanting to avoid whatever confrontation this conversation was leading her into. The door slammed shut behind her.

Vegeta released a heavy sigh nearly crumpling the envelope in his hand. He hadn't meant to act so bitter towards Bulma. He had actually wanted an explanation, but something in the back of his mind caused him to react harshly. He hadn't meant to upset her or make her feel guilty, but he truly felt violated. He had already told her about his past. She had said she accepted it. Did she have second thoughts? Was she trying to learn his rap sheet? If she were curious, he would have told her within reason. She didn't need to go behind his back.

He gave her a bit of a head start before going after her, not liking the idea of her being out at night, alone and upset, in the rain. She hadn't made it that far. He could see her running up ahead in the rain and took off after her. His heart leapt and nearly caught in his throat as he got closer for Bulma had tripped into the road, an oncoming car heading for the woman. Vegeta reached her in time, thankfully, and pulled the disoriented woman back onto the sidewalk. "What the hell, you crazy woman?" he hissed, his overwhelming horror causing him to yell. Bulma looked up at him with terror-filled eyes. "That was the stupidest thing you've ever done! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

It didn't take long for Vegeta to regret shouting at the woman for Bulma's eyes filled with tears before she tried to run away from him. He prevented the action, wrapping her in his arms, cradling the sobbing woman. His adrenaline rush diminished, and he calmed knowing that she was safe with him. The situation of the DNA results fell to the back of his mind. Right now, he just wanted to get Bulma to stop crying and to safety. "Sh," he attempted to soothe. Bulma only cried harder, so Vegeta tried a different approach. Hands gently rubbed her back and caressed her sides as his lips showered her forehead with kisses. "Sh," he whispered again, this time adding. "Come on, Bulma. Let's go back inside." She tried to push him away again, but he held her firmly. "It's okay. Let's go home." She shook her head, still fighting him. He sighed and then became more forceful. "Bulma, I mean it. Do you want to get sick?"

"L-Leave me alone," she whimpered as she sniffled. Again, she tried to break free of his old despite the futility of her actions.

Vegeta started leading her back down the street towards their apartment. "Not going to happen, woman. Someone has to protect you from your idiocy." He hoped Bulma would laugh at his heatless joke, but she simply looked more defeated and withdrawn. His expression darkened while his concern for the woman increased. Had he really caused this because of his inflamed words moments earlier? This was the most torn up he think he had ever seen her even when she talked about her father and her past. His heart ached and he felt sick. He decided not to say anything more for fear of frightening her more unintentionally.

* * *

Getting her back into the apartment was a continued struggle. She tried to flee again when he opened the door, this time upstairs so that she could lock herself in another room. It pained him that she wanted to hide from him. He didn't care if his words were a little stringent. She had to know that he wouldn't say anything hateful or hurtful, or at least he thought she did. If she didn't, he wondered what that would mean for them. Was she starting to lose faith in him? Is that why she had this test run and had been acting so distant? Now, even Vegeta was starting to feel fearful. Did he really want to know what was in the envelope? Did he want her to know his past? Would she run further from him?

Like they had to do for Trunks during his meltdown, Vegeta had to do for her. She had finally stopped resisting, but he couldn't get her to move. His solution was to carry her up to their room, Bulma still crying against him. He was feeling worse and worse with every step he took. Why was Bulma still this upset, and what was going through her mind? He couldn't worry about that now. She was soaked, probably chilled to the bone. He set her down once they reached the room.

He pulled out warm, dry clothes for her and himself, but Bulma hadn't even noticed. She was dripping wet, standing in the middle of their room…still crying, though it was much less intense. Her body was shaking though Vegeta could not tell if it was due to the cold or her crying. Either way, her mind was not on getting herself cleaned up. He had to handle it all.

He approached her and placed a hand on his shoulder. Bulma gasped and looked up for a moment, her eyes full of a haunting distrust. Vegeta frowned, but he started to strip her down. Her body tensed as he touched her, and Vegeta was starting to see glimpses of the woman Bulma had been afraid to be around him. He promised himself that he would find a way to salvage this, but they couldn't talk until they were comfortable.

She observed him intently as he dressed her, responding to his moments while remaining hesitant of him and his touch. When she was in her sweats and a t-shirt, Vegeta's fingers found their way to her hair and released her sopping wet bun. Bulma's eyes darkened with fear and sadness. "Go downstairs," he ordered. "I'll join you in a moment. I'll make tea."

Bulma nodded obediently, but still said nothing as she raced out of the room. He exhaled deeply and shook his head before undressing himself. He pulled a long-sleeved shirt over his head, his eyes stuck on one spot on the bed. He was waiting to wake up from this frustrating nightmare.

Though Vegeta hated to admit it, he felt immense relief when he saw Bulma sitting at the table. Inside, he beamed with the emotion for he had half-expected Bulma to have left again to avoid him, and then he wouldn't have known what to do. She didn't lift her head to make eye contact making Vegeta grow more wary of speaking. He couldn't understand why she was still so upset. At least she had finished that horrible wailing. He'd rather have this heavy silence. That was easier to work with.

The two remained quiet as Vegeta made them tea, hers chamomile and his a smokier vanilla fireside. He placed the cup in front of the woman, and she finally spoke murmuring a thank you. That at least was a positive sign. He hoped for more words, but he received none as he faced her and watched her slowly sip her tea.

They sat in silence save for the occasional slurping sound or clank of the teacup set on place. Vegeta never stopped watching Bulma, though he couldn't say the same for her. She was staring off at the side, not even glancing in his direction. He figured maybe she was worried about what he'd say. Perhaps she was thinking of a way to explain herself. It didn't matter. He could handle the silence no longer. Calmly, he asked, "Are you ready to talk to me yet?"

Bulma flinched, surprised to hear such softness and warmth in his voice. She was pretty sure he was livid with her. Her rational mind told her that she was being ridiculous, fearing that he was trying to lure her into a false sense of security. This was Vegeta, not her father. He was a man she trusted with every fiber of her being, yet today she was actually scared of what was going to happen. What if he didn't believe what she had to say? Would he still feel like she invaded his privacy? Oh God…she couldn't do this. She just couldn't do this.

She felt a hand on her arm and her eyes snapped open. Vegeta was next to her now, concern flickering in his eyes. Bulma hadn't even realized that she had closed her eyes, even for the moment. Her breathing was shaky as was her body. Frantically, she shook her head to try to get ahold of herself. She turned to finally look at Vegeta, the warmth still in his eyes contrasting his earlier coldness. This was the Vegeta she trusted. It was okay to talk to him…she hoped. "Where are the kids?"

"At your mother's," he returned. "I told your mother that I wanted a night alone with you." He smirked as Bulma blushed over what her mother must have thought. Of course, the opposite was happening, and Bulma was warring with herself, her emotional side telling her that this could be the last night of her relationship with Vegeta. His expression sobered when her eyes glistened once more. "Bulma, talk to me."

"A-Are you mad at me?" she questioned, her voice still withdrawn and hopeless. Vegeta took a moment too long to respond, thinking of his answer, and Bulma looked down at her lap. "I'm sorry… If you want to go, then-"

"Cut the crap, Bulma," Vegeta shot back earning the woman's attention again. "I'm not going anywhere." He pinched the bridge of his nose as he released his frustration in a huff. "Look, I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm not angry. I just want an explanation. It's not the first DNA test that's been run on me, just the first one I didn't know about."

That caught Bulma's attention. "What do you mean?"

He knew what Bulma was doing. She was stalling, but she was at least starting to talk to him. He decided to humor her and answer her musings. "A part of what caused my father to cheat on my mother," he began, "was his accusation that she had been unfaithful."

Bulma's eyes widened, and rightly so. "How could he think that?"

Vegeta chuckled bitterly. "As a child, I didn't look like him, plus they always used protection. He hadn't wanted to have a child so soon, so he refused to consider that I could possibly be his when she ended up pregnant with me. My hair was lighter when I was born before it fell out and grew back in darker. Even then, I still didn't look much like him, not until I was six years old. By then, he had already been cheating on her as some form of payback and he had no intention of stopping. Their relationship was always fucked up."

"That really is messed up," Bulma agreed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't," Vegeta grunted. "You know how I feel about the apologizing for things you have no control over. The point of this was to answer your question about my statement. When I was four, my mother convinced him to undergo a DNA test as proof. He barely acknowledged me as his son until the results came back. Once he had confirmation, he was…nicer. I was so young that the first four years barely registered. It was just crap they threw at each other when my mother got fed up with the cheating."

"I can understand," Bulma responded. She inhaled evenly, trying to keep herself calm. "Okay, Vegeta…I'll be honest with you. The test is not what you think it is. I wasn't trying to find out anything criminal about you. Jay is Juu's brother…he didn't even run it through the system. He was just doing me a favor."

"If not to find out about that time, then what were you hoping to discover?" Vegeta's eyes met calm, blue eyes. Bulma finally must have realized that he wasn't trying to interrogate her, just that he wanted to understand.

Her eyes grew sad, though, tearful once again. "You're going to think I'm crazy," she warned.

"How many times have you thought that?" he combatted lightly. "Try me, woman. If not for that, then what?"

She took another breath, her nerves returning. "Okay…Vegeta, I just need you to listen to my train of thought, okay?" Vegeta nodded, remaining silent. "It all started after you told me of the way you made money after leaving the gang." His brow quirked in question, but he still stayed quiet. "I didn't think anything of it, but then you and Trunks started spending more time together. I saw you side by side more, and I noticed so many similarities in your mannerisms, quirks that Trunks had since he was a young child. It got me thinking, however much of a stretch it was.

"My mind focused on the fact that you had been a sperm donor. Where you went to school…it wasn't that far from this city. I thought…maybe it was possible…I thought you could be Trunks's father." She saw her boyfriend's expression soften and relaxed. "I…I know it was a long shot, but the thought wouldn't leave me alone. I mean, I get it. You donated way earlier than I went for the artificial insemination, but I remember my doctor saying that samples could be stored for up to twelve years and still be viable. I just really hoped. I know that's weird and crazy. I would have told you, but I wanted to know first in case it really just a pipe dream. I didn't want it weird you out, but I also didn't want to disappoint you or Trunks. I'm sorry. I didn't meant to go behind your back or make you feel like I didn't trust you. I'm sorry…"

She had, sometime during her explanation, clenched her eyes shut and scrunched her shoulders up to her head. Vegeta was at first dazed as he heard it, but mainly because it just surprised him. He hadn't really paid attention to his similarities with the boy. He simply just acted as a confidant and guide for the teenager, hoping to strengthen their bond as well. He loved Bulma, and by extension he had grown to love her son. The fact that Bulma had so deeply wished him to be the father soothed his heart, and her silence over the matter made sense. He no longer felt violated, just intrigued. "Is that all?" he spoke, offering a soft smile and chuckle. "Bulma, you could have come to me with this. I would have looked into it with you, and you wouldn't have had to endure all this stress alone."

He drew his chair closer to his sniffling girlfriend, tears of relief streaming down her face. Vegeta grinned, moving to wipe her tears away. Now, he was right next to her, able to hold her. His eyes went to the envelope he must have placed on the table as he hurried out after her. He picked it up and took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together. Pulling her close and pressing his nose to her cheek, he whispered in her ear, "Let's see together."

"R-Really?" Bulma questioned. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You're really okay with this?"

"I want to know, too, woman," he told her, "now that the idea's been placed in my head. As crazy as it seems…Bulma, I want it too. You have no idea. If it's positive, I'll gladly assume the role. I already see him as my son."

"Oh Vegeta," Bulma whimpered before throwing herself at him. He wrapped one arm around her, laughter rumbling in his chest. "I thought you were so mad at me. I was so scared you were going to end it."

Vegeta seemed puzzled by her admission, but he now understood why she had been so distraught. "Bulma, I would never break up with you over something so trivial," he explained. "Even if it had been the other way, we would have figured something out. We've been through too much together for that to be what breaks us."

Bulma nodded, accepting that. A laugh escaped her, Vegeta's brow raising. She grinned at him and added, "I guess we don't have to worry about either of us being like our parents."

"Tch, no," Vegeta agreed. "Thank God for that."

Bulma sat up more comfortably, now relaxed and no longer worried, her excitement returning as they looked at the sealed envelope. The two decided to put that part of their night behind them now, and Vegeta practically tore the envelope open, desperate to see the answer they both wanted to see. He took out the paper, and Bulma leaned in to read the answer.

It was negative.

Vegeta frowned feeling strangely disappointed by the results. His eyes wandered to Bulma, and he could see tears forming once again. In that moment, he could tell how much Bulma truly wanted him to be the father of her child, and that alone honored him. "I don't know why I'm crying again," she lied pathetically, wiping away her tears. "I knew that it was a crazy idea to begin with."

"It was your hope," Vegeta reminded her. "There's no reason to hide that. But, Bulma…the test is wrong." Her head whipped around to meet his gaze. Vegeta had Bulma's complete attention, her wet eyes meeting determined ones. "The test is wrong because, where I'm not Trunks's father by blood, as I said, I love him like my own. A DNA test can't determine one's parents. It doesn't know what it means to truly be a father. Our fathers were prime examples of that. I won't allow this piece of scrap paper to tell me that Trunks is not my son."

Emotionally overstimulated, Bulma continued to cry, though now she was laughing through her tears. Vegeta was right. A piece of paper saying one was a father was meaningless. Her birth certificate and the DNA test the courts had ordered were proof of that. She had been related to her father by blood yet he denied her, made her feel like an inconvenient mistake her whole life, even went so far as to call her illegitimate because he hadn't wanted to accept her. Vegeta's father was not much different from hers, and both she and her boyfriend suffered because of it. No, a paper couldn't tell them that Vegeta wasn't Trunks's father because Vegeta actually wanted to be that for her son. That alone told Bulma that she had found someone special and true. Maybe Vegeta was right. She should have let him in long ago on this if only to prevent them from feeling this way this night.

It didn't seem to matter to Vegeta anymore, though, as he gently guided her lips to his and kissed her lovingly. She sighed and gave in immediately, feeling warmth and love emanating from her lover. Once again, she felt safe, and she mentally berated herself for earlier. Vegeta was in this for the long haul. She needed to stop believing that everyone she loved would leave her when only her father was guilty of that.

The couple moved to the couch sitting close together and holding on to each other tightly. Though disappointment had filled them for the moment, the two focused on what was really important, and that was the love they shared for, the moment Vegeta claimed Trunks as his son, Bulma had never felt more complete. Vegeta was the piece their life had been missing, and they had been his.

* * *

A/N: Wow! A fully BXV chapter ^_^ And what an intense one it was. I've been hoping to get to this chapter a while now for I've been planning this from the very beginning. Everyone had had their theories, and I've been trying to keep most of you at bay…giving the same answer to everyone, that I would neither confirm nor deny any and all predictions. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and had minimal disappointment when the results were revealed. I felt that however cool and desired it would have been that this was more of a testament to the love this version of our favorite couple share. I'm sure many would agree :3 Also, I apologize for the shorter length of the chapter, but it just seemed fitting to end it here. Don't worry, there's still more to come on this roller coaster ride.


	43. Chapter 42

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

Sunlight peeked through the window one nice, sunny Saturday, Trunks's eyes twitching as he awoke in the morning. The teenager felt a bit disoriented, blinking bleary eyes while trying to make sense of where he was. When he attempted to move, he couldn't, and actually his arm was numb. He finally regained dome senses, his eyes taking in the sleeping form of his girlfriend. Now, it all made sense. He had fallen asleep with Mai in her room the night before, the two buried under their schoolbooks. The previous evening, they had been doing their homework late in separate rooms, and then, in the middle of the night, Mai texted him. The poor girl was panicking, and so he joined her, and they were reading one of her textbooks together.

Trunks gently brushed Mai's hair back, the young woman sighing and snuggling in her sleep. She seemed so peaceful. He chanced pulling her towards him, Mai stirring slightly curling into him. It was completely endearing. Trunks wanted to stay with her longer, but he had to start his day. Despite the cold weather, the batting cages had opened up, and he and Goten wanted to go. They always had when they were younger, and both boys wanted to recapture those moments. He had offered for Mai to join them, but she wanted to visit Pilaf that day. She hadn't seen the man in a while. A part of her felt like he needed to know about everything going on.

In the meantime, Trunks would continue to let her sleep, subtly sliding out of bed. Mai moaned in protest, her brow furrowing. A warm smile graced his features, and he made sure she was covered with her blanket. "I love you, Mai," he whispered before he quietly snuck out of her room.

* * *

She couldn't believe she had to do this. Mai had finally gotten up the courage to call up Pilaf and ask if she could visit with him for the day. He was so excited to have her, brought home lunch and ice cream, and now she was sitting in his kitchen drinking tea. Well, holding the cup at least while trying to think of how to broach the subject. Why was this so hard?

Pilaf's dog, Shu, came over to her, nudging her leg and stealing her attention away from her conundrum. She smiled at the dog, petting his head. He plopped right down on her foot and wouldn't leave her or let her escape. This conversation couldn't wait any longer.

"I didn't know exactly which ice cream flavor you wanted," Pilaf said, "so I got a bunch of different kinds. Regular chocolate/vanilla/strawberry, cookie dough, rocky road, mint chocolate chip, moose tracks, pistachio. Take your pick."

"I'll just have the cookie dough," Mai replied. When Pilaf turned around to scoop her a bowl, she shook her head. She really needed to visit more often if he got this excited each time she gave him a call. "Um, so there's a reason I came to talk to you today."

Pilaf froze and turned around mouth open. "Are you pregnant?"

Mai nearly choked on the tea she sipped in hopes to calm her down, Pilaf going to assist the teenager by lightly tapping her back. "W-What?" she croaked out. "Of course not. Trunks and I…he hasn't…we haven't…"

"Oh, well that's good," Pilaf stated before looking panicked. "Not that I'd be against either of you if you had or were, just you're both too young and have a lot on your plate."

"Yeah, no kidding," Mai muttered earning Pilaf's confusion. "Um, yeah, so no…I'm not pregnant. You don't have to worry about that for a while."

Pilaf took a seat beside her. "Okay, so then what _is_ going on? Is school going okay? Are your friends okay?"

"Pilaf…you should just let me talk…"

"Sorry…"

"It's okay," Mai sighed. "I just don't know how to tell people yet. My friends don't know. Only Trunks and Bulma and Vegeta know. A while back at school…I had a panic attack."

"What?"

Mai nodded weakly, her expression pained. "It was the day Zarbon was sentenced to ten years. I just couldn't stop picturing how angry he'd be. I got home and just panicked. Bulma took me to a doctor. Apparently, I have a form of PTSD."

Pilaf looked like he had been kicked in the gut, but his shaky hand grabbed hers. "I can't say I'm surprised," he responded. "All I can say is that I'm so sorry you went through everything you did. Now that you know, you're going to get better. It'll probably be hard, but you have to focus on the fact that you're free now. You're safe. My brother can't ever hurt you again. Believe me; a lot can happen in ten years."

Another nod was his answer before Mai sighed. She crossed her arms and leaned against the table. "I just don't like the treatment," she admitted. "It's supposed to help, but I hate reliving it. But I guess I have to keep talking about it to sort of detach myself from it."

"I don't think they want you to detach yourself," Pilaf stated. "I watched something on T.V. once before where they were saying that it's to help you overcome the fear and the trauma."

"Yeah, that," Mai huffed. "They said there will be times where I'm a bit more volatile and angry, and, at some point, I may go on medication. I don't want to…"

"For right now, just trust your doctor," Pilaf suggested. "Now, how often do you go? Would you like me to go with you one day?"

Mai's eyes lit up for a moment. "You would do that?" Pilaf flashed her a look that was oozing with "what do you think" vibes. "You really don't have to."

"I want to," Pilaf emphasized. "Mai, your mother was my best friend. I wouldn't feel right if I wasn't there for you. I know this is a lot, and I don't want you to feel alone. I know you have Trunks and his family, but you have me too, and you always will. So just let me help in any way that I can."

It took Mai a moment to let his words sink in, her expression growing firm as she said, "Okay. I have an appointment Monday morning at ten. You can come with me and Bulma. I have to go to school after."

"Just let her know I'm coming, and I'll be over first thing in the morning," he told her.

Mai smiled at him, their conversation ending there. Pilaf got up and brought over the ice cream. After the seriousness of their previous discussion, they started talking about not so serious issues. The teenager even told the man about Trunks and how wonderful he'd been since the whole ordeal started, especially about Valentine's Day. Pilaf felt relief that Mai was with such a caring boy who wouldn't pressure her. What she was going through now, all because of his brother, was enough for her to be handling at one time. Trunks cared about the girl so deeply that he seemed to have the same opinion. At least, between Trunks his family and Pilaf himself, Mai was finally experiencing the positives of life. They would help outshine the negative.

* * *

With the kids out of the house for a few hours, it was laundry day, and, while Bulma separated out clothes into respective washers, Vegeta watched her from the other side of the laundry room. She had been unusually quiet since the other day when they had talked and gotten the results of the paternity test. Vegeta could not help but wonder why.

While she was putting clothes in the washer, Vegeta approached her from behind and embraced her, his hands resting on her stomach and massaging her with his thumbs. Bulma took in a shaky breath before turning around to hug him. Her hold on him was tight, like she was afraid to let go. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Vegeta's brow furrowed. He always hated it when Bulma would apologize for no reason, and right now there was literally no reason. He wasn't even sure what she was saying "sorry" for. He didn't respond with words, his brow raised in confusion doing all the talking for him. Bulma sighed, and she reiterated, "I'm sorry for going behind your back. You've just been so wonderful. It's been tearing me up inside, that I didn't just tell you from the beginning."

An irritated sigh left him. "Bulma, we're passed that point already, and I already forgave you. I understand that it was a longshot and that you were trying to spare everyone's feelings, everyone's but your own. Yes, you could have told me, but what's done is done. I refuse to make you feel bad over something where you only had good intentions. And you did, Bulma. You had good intentions. There's no reason to still be harboring feelings of guilt."

Bulma smiled at her boyfriend feeling much better than she had been over the last few days. She apologized again, but for a different reason. "I'm sorry for being so silly."

Vegeta's eyes narrowed, and he sat her down on the washing machine. Bulma's lips parted in shock. She had no idea why he was staring at her so intently. "You apologize too much, woman," he stated before crashing his lips against hers in a smoldering kiss.

Bulma moaned lightly, but she pushed him back just for a moment to say, "But it was an invasion of privacy…"

Vegeta continued to kiss her, almost ignoring her words. "Get over it," he growled against her mouth, his hand grazing up her thigh.

Things started to grow heated between them, Vegeta's lips descending to her neck. Bulma attempted to stop him, but to no avail. "Vegeta, we're in a laundry room…a _public_ laundry room."

Vegeta paused in kissing her, his voice and next words sending chills down her spine. "Let them come for us," he murmured. "I'm taking you here and now, got it?" Bulma felt heat pool in her belly, nodding in agreement, and Vegeta continued from where he left off. Maybe, just maybe, Bulma needed to listen to Vegeta, to let go, get over everything, and surrender to her desire for him, not thinking things through like she normally did. After all, it definitely seemed worth it when Vegeta's smooth chuckle reached her ears. That really did her in.

* * *

" _P-Please…stop!"_

 _Zarbon's sinister chuckle was all Mai could hear in the darkness. Each time she thought she found him, she'd look, and his laughter would come from a different direction. Above, below, and around her, Mai grabbed her head, unable to make it stop. "You didn't think you'd really get away, did you, Mai?" his evil voice cooed in amusement. He finally appeared in front of her, this time holding Trunks from behind, a knife pressed to the teenager's neck. The blood drained from her face, her skin ghostly white in her fear. What was Trunks doing there? How did Zarbon get to him?_

" _L-Leave him alone," she stammered, her voice weak before she let her anger get the better of her. "Leave him alone!"_

 _Zarbon smirked at her, his words chilling her to the bone. "You should have thought about that before getting involved with him."_

 _Mai cried out as Zarbon forced her to watch him kill the man she loved. Her hand went to her mouth, the screams unending as she sobbed. Zarbon laughed at her reaction. "Take a good look, Mai. You did this to him."_

"No!" she screamed as she tossed and turned, trying to rid herself of the nightmare she witnessed. Trunks was in shock as he watched his girlfriend flailing on the couch. She was crying and in a world of terror, screaming his name with so much pain in her voice. He needed to break her out of it. He looked back to see Goten looking stupefied. His friend wanted to ask, but Trunks couldn't humor him. He needed to wake Mai up.

He tried to stop her from flailing her arms all around, gently taking them, though Mai only began to struggle more. "Hey, Mai…it's me, it's Trunks! You have to get up. Please!"

"No, Trunks, not Trunks…why?" Mai wailed, her dream not getting any better.

" _Because you love him."_

"Mai, listen, it's just a bad dream," he said a little loud, though directly into her ear. "It's okay. I'm here. You're okay. Please, just wake up."

Mai's eyes did snap open, her eyes landing on a very much alive Trunks, the lavender-haired teen breathing as heavily as she was. She couldn't focus, looked straight through him, but her hands latched onto him. He was really there. Mai cringed when she realized he wasn't alone. Goten was there, too. He and Trunks had probably just gotten back from the batting cages. That thought got pushed off to the side.

She shakily reached out, calling Trunks's name out warily before she apologized. She ran her hand through his hair, Trunks able to feel just how much she was trembling. His brow was furrowed in concern. "Mai, what are you sorry for? Everything is okay. It was just a bad dream."

"No," she denied, shaking her head vigorously. "It was worse than that. Zarbon killed you. It was my fault. I'm sorry."

"Zarbon isn't here," Trunks softly said, his eyes soft as he gently rubbed her shoulder. "I am here. I'm not hurt, okay? It was just a nightmare. Everything is fine. We're fine, the two of us."

Mai finally listened, and nodded her head, her tears falling freely as she threw herself into Trunks's arms. The teenager didn't fight it, holding his girlfriend protectively while whispering comforting words in her ear. "Uh…" Goten's voice cut in awkwardly. "Do you want me to go?"

Eyes landed on him, and Mai gasped. She hadn't realized that Goten was there. Her blue eyes wavered, panic lighting them. None of their friends knew about the PTSD, and she wasn't ready to tell them yet. She looked to Trunks for assistance. He was already on it, his expression serious. "Hey, Goten," Trunks murmured. "Thanks for coming out with me today, but could we hang out another day?"

"Of course," Goten responded simply, though he was actually really perturbed by the scene. "I'll text you later?"

"Yeah," Trunks agreed with a nod. "Sounds good." Goten turned around to leave, but Trunks added. "And Goten, please don't tell anyone about this, okay?"

This time Goten looked back and smiled. "Hey, you've got it," he assured them both, and Mai relaxed. Then his expression shifted. "If either of you need anything, let me know."

"We will," Mai whispered meekly.

Goten was leaving just as Bulma and Vegeta were returning with the laundry, although they both looked a little winded. Her friend's son blinked at them before smiling. "Hey, Aunt Bulma. How's it going? You need help with carrying that?"

"No," she replied, a smile appearing on her face. "Thanks for the offer, but Vegeta and I have got this."

"Okay," Goten replied. "I'm leaving now. I'll tell dad you said 'hello.'"

"Thanks, kid," Bulma responded with affection. "Be careful getting home."

"I will!"

The two adults entered the living room and found Trunks sitting with Mai. He looked over to them, confused. "Um...was it hot in the laundry room?"

Bulma's eyes widened. "W-What do you mean?"

"Nothing," Trunks answered. "You just look a little flushed. Maybe you should get a drink of water and take a break."

Bulma was about respond when Vegeta chuckled and said, "Don't worry about her, Trunks. I'll make sure she relaxes."

There was a double meaning to his words, and Bulma was thankful that it seemed lost on Trunks. Her son just smiled brightly at Vegeta, looking at the man as if he were the greatest hero. Bulma really wished the test results had been different, but it really didn't matter. Trunks admired and loved Vegeta, and that was enough. That was what mattered. Vegeta was completely right. She needed to let go.

"How about this," Bulma started. "Vegeta and I will finish up with putting the laundry away, and then we'll all go out for lunch."

Trunks's expression fell a bit. He wanted to deny the invite mainly because Mai was still really upset and shaking. Before he could reject the offer, Mai spoke up. "Yeah, we'll go," she stated. Her boyfriend stared at her in surprise. Normally Mai wanted to stay back and relax. This time, though, Mai just didn't want to draw any more attention to herself. Plus, she wanted to not think about the nightmare, and maybe lunch would help. She could only hope that was the case.

* * *

A couple days later marked Bulma's and Vegeta's six month anniversary. So much had happened in that short amount of time that Bulma thought it felt more like a year than six months, but she didn't mind. The couple had made a date to celebrate that night. They had wanted to take off and spend the whole day together, but Vegeta had a meeting with the board during their lunch hour. They agreed that the night would be theirs. Bulma was bursting with happiness just thinking about it. Never in her life had she thought she would find someone like Vegeta, one who was understanding of her plight, past, and shifts in behavior, one who accepted that she was still best friends with a man she once dated, and, most importantly, one who loved her son like his own. Some days, she still thought she was dreaming and would wake up, but each day she woke up next to a man who loved her, complicated past, flaws, and all. She already knew that there would never be another man for her, and she was content with how their relationship had progressed. There was no going back.

By lunch time, Bulma was ready for work to be over. Vegeta was in his meeting, and Bulma was just a bit antsy to get back to him. At the cafeteria, though, her attention was stolen away from her thoughts for a moment the second Bulma's eyes landed on a familiar figure. Broly was there, and he appeared a little worse for wear. She realized that she hadn't spent much time with her friend since Thanksgiving. She remembered that the crowd and noise had been a little much for him. A frown marred her features. With her anxiety over the DNA test, she really hadn't been engaging with him much at all. He had been completely alone. She needed to check on him.

Broly was practically rocking, mumbling whispers whenever he thought he heard something he knew he shouldn't. He was pleading for this to be a nightmare, that he wasn't really going down that road again, but there were fleeting moments where there were voices inside his head, and not the two he had known in the past. It had been manageable for a while, the medication thankfully doing its job, but his stress level had risen since he had taken his new position. He _should_ have gone to Vegeta, or at least Bulma, to discuss this, but his paranoia had hit full fold. He was such an idiot. He should have already had himself committed. That was his only option if he wanted to avoid a repeat of the past.

"Hey, Broly."

Her friend jumped at the sound of her voice, his eyes focusing on her and growing weary. "Bulma…" he breathed out. "I…how are you?"

"I should be asking you that question," the woman replied as she sat down beside him. Her blue eyes were full of concern. "You look…tired."

Broly nodded, agreeing. He was tired, tired of being this way. "I haven't been sleeping," he admitted. "And I've been stressed with my promotion and struggling with everything. I…I think I'm starting to hear voices again. It's fleeting, not like it used to be."

"Have you talked to your doctor?" Broly shook his head. "Why not?"

"I thought it would go away," he whispered. "There were times in the past where I was stressed but it only lasted a short time and the medication eventually caught up with it."

"I could talk to Vegeta," Bulma offered. "I'm sure he would give you your old job back."

"No, it's not that simple," Broly replied. "Bulma…I'm terrified I'm going to relapse soon. I…I need to ask you a favor."

"Of course," Bulma assured him. "Anything you need."

"My father," he murmured, "he and I haven't spoken since what he did to Trunks. I need someone to take me to this one hospital. It was where he took me the first time I went through this. I'm familiar with the people there. It's a couple hours away, and I don't trust myself to get there on my own. Please, Bulma, I have no one else."

Bulma nodded, and Broly relaxed. "We can leave now," she told him. It wasn't like she couldn't take off, and she had plenty of time before hers and Vegeta's date. She owed Broly. It was because of her, in a way, that he was handling this by himself, without his father. Of course, she knew she wasn't really to blame. Paragus had made the decision to hurt all of them, and he left his son alone knowing that he could go through this struggle any day. She would not leave her friend alone, not after he had given up so much for her and her son. "Just let me clock out and we'll go."

Broly's eyes conveyed his thanks, and about fifteen minutes later, they were on their way to Bulma's car. Despite normally turning on the music, Bulma knew Broly preferred the silence. They were off for the hospital, Broly giving her directions, and the drive had been uneventful.

An hour into the ride, however, something overtook Broly, and his senses were on high alert. Bulma had been focused on the road, but she noticed Broly looking around frantically for something. Her eyes shifted to him, the woman becoming nervous. "Broly, are you okay?"

"No, something's here," he told her.

"Broly, there isn't anything," she assured him. "Trust me; I'll get you there safely."

He regarded her for a moment, forcing himself to focus on her voice, and for that moment he was fine. The next, something had startled him, and his reaction was to grab Bulma's wheel to try to avoid something that was not there. Bulma attempted to get control of the car, but it was too late. The car crashed into the side of a mountain.

* * *

Vegeta couldn't believe how long it had been. His eyes moved to his calendar, and a satisfied smirk graced his lips. He couldn't believe that it had been six months since he and Bulma had started dating. When he had seen her in that club all those months ago, he never expected to ever feel this way about her. He had really loved Ella, but Bulma had filled his heart differently. She understood him in a way others could not, and she never pressured him. When he asked her opinion, she gave it, especially when it came to his mother. Still, all of his decisions were up to him, and he extended her the same courtesy. They had been with each other through many downs, but being with her made everything feel like it was an up. They were a good team, a family. Vegeta had always longed to feel like a part of a family, he just never realized how much it meant to him before Bulma and Trunks.

Trunks…Vegeta still couldn't believe he truly saw the teenager as his son. He had never wanted children, not really because he didn't like them but because he did not have the best upbringing. He was a proud businessman, goal oriented, and he knew he had a one track mind. Still, it did not stop him from being there for the son of his girlfriend. He felt fulfilled acting as Trunks's confidant, offering guidance to the boy when he could. He had long accepted the adulation and respect Trunks offered him, even if he felt as if he were undeserving. In such a short time, he realized that he'd do anything for the boy and anything for his mother. They were his family, and Vegeta had no intention of ever letting them go.

The second he was freed from the meeting, Vegeta went to Bulma's office only to find out that she had left early for the day. He had just a few tasks left before he could leave, so he got on them and attempted to complete them both quickly and efficiently. About an hour before he and Bulma were to go out, he was able to leave work. He felt strangely light, excited with anticipation. Tonight was going to be a good night.

Vegeta had gone home, ready to see his girlfriend, but he was met with a sight he didn't expect. Trunks and Mai were in the kitchen wearing panic-stricken expressions, and Goku was also there. The palm tree-haired man's eyes met Vegeta's. He, too, looked worried. "Have you heard from Bulma?" he asked hopefully, and Vegeta felt his blood grow cold.

"What?"

"Mai had a rough day," Trunks explained. "She told our friends everything about the PTSD and someone overheard and told some other students. It wasn't Paigen this time. She was the one who actually warned us that she overheard it privately. It just wasn't a good day."

"Gure called for Bulma, but her phone was off, and Tarble came to get them," Goku explained. "I had actually been trying to get in touch with her over an hour ago about…something I needed to talk to her about. When I couldn't reach her, I decided to head over and ran into Tarble. She rarely ever has her phone off because of Trunks and Mai to make sure she's available. Did you see her at work?"

Vegeta swallowed thickly, terror starting to settle in. "I had meetings all day, and she left early. I thought she'd be here."

Goku looked horrified. "Then…then where is she?"

Though Trunks was nervous and frightened over his mother's whereabouts, he took her place in trying to calm Goku down. "I'm sure she's fine," he said tightly, and Vegeta could see right through him. "Mom must have had a good reason for shutting off her phone. Maybe it died or something. I'm sure she's okay."

"Yeah, right," Goku replied shakily, but nodding in agreement. He had to believe his best friend was safe somewhere. "If there was trouble, she'd find a way to call us."

"We're supposed to go out tonight for our anniversary," Vegeta stated. "I'll head to the restaurant now and watch out for her."

Mai stayed unusually quiet, not knowing what to do. She was feeling so shaky and overwhelmed, and she along with everyone else was scared. No one wanted to admit that they all had a bad feeling over this. "I'm going to stay here," Mai whispered. "I don't think I could be of any help right now."

"It's okay, Mai," Trunks assured her. "I'll stay with you."

"I'll drive by her mother's place," Goku suggested, "just in case."

Vegeta nodded and stormed back out of the apartment practically tearing his phone from his pocket. It, of course, went to voicemail, and Vegeta mentally cursed. The phone was ringing indicating that it was on that time, and, when the message tone rang, he left one for her trying to sound as calm as possible. "Bulma, call me when you get this. Everyone has been trying to get in touch with you: the school, Trunks, Goku... They're all…we're all worried about you. Please, call me back."

* * *

An hour later, everyone still hadn't heard from Bulma, and it was an hour after hers and Vegeta's date was to take place. She never showed up. Anxiety had finally taken hold of Vegeta's entire being. Where could the woman have been? He returned to the apartment only to learn that no one else had heard or found out anything. The stress they all felt was astronomical.

They tried to keep their minds busy, but nothing worked. They hadn't contacted Goku's family, and when Goku stopped by Bunny's he did not go inside. He only glanced out to see if Bulma's car was there. He did not want to worry the mother if there was nothing going on. Now, though, they were about ready to contact everyone else. That is, until Vegeta's phone rang.

Vegeta was terrified. He felt this horrible sense of déjà vu, and he did not want to answer. It was an unknown number, and that brought so much dread to the man. Wearily, he reached for his cell and brought it to his ear. "Hello?" he murmured fearfully.

" _Vegeta?"_

Relief flooded his entire being when he heard Bulma's timid call. "Bulma," he breathed out in a heavy sigh. Mentally, he was thanking God. Everyone's tensed forms had relaxed slight. "Where the hell are you?"

* * *

Bulma looked back behind her, seeing Broly weakly waving her way as he was led to the psyche ward at the hospital. She offered him a sad smile, waving back, before her attention returned to Vegeta. "I'm okay," she told him. "I'm sure you were worried, but I didn't stand you up."

" _Bulma, I'm not fucking worried about the date,"_ Vegeta hissed, and Bulma cringed. He sounded really upset. _"Your son, his school, and your best friend had been trying to get in touch with you for hours. I'd been trying to reach you. W-We thought… We thought…"_

Bulma's expression softened, her eyes closing as she inhaled shakily. "You thought I was hurt somewhere or dead…"

Vegeta didn't answer right away, probably trying to rein in his emotions, but he finally said, _"Yes…"_

"Vegeta, I'm so sorry," Bulma whimpered, tears falling from her eyes. "I didn't mean to worry any of you. Look, Broly told me I could finally tell you. Vegeta, he has schizophrenia. With everything going on with his father and the stress of a more demanding position, he was starting to feel shaky. He felt like he was going to have a relapse. He asked me to take him to this hospital. It's a couple hours away. I'm there now, and I can give you the address."

She gave him the address and assumed that Vegeta had taken it down. _"Is that where you're calling from?"_ Vegeta interrogated. _"Why couldn't we reach you on the phone?"_

"Vegeta…" Bulma hesitantly replied. "There was an accident."

" _An accident?"_ Vegeta nearly shouted.

" _What?"_ Trunks frantically cried in the background. _"Is mom okay?"_

"Tell him that I'm okay," she hurriedly spoke, and Vegeta immediately did so. She could hear her son's voice crack as he thanked God. "We were going up a mountain, and Broly panicked and the back of the car hit the side of the mountain. I had no service, but someone passed us by and promised to send the police and an ambulance to us. But we were both okay. I've already been checked out by a doctor, and Broly is safe now."

" _We're coming to get you,"_ Vegeta told her. _"Sit tight."_

And then the line disconnected.

* * *

Vegeta gripped his phone with nearly all his strength that Trunks had to take it from him. "What happened?" Goku asked.

"I can't even begin to tell you," Vegeta responded feeling completely worn out. "This was just too much."

"But hey, she's okay," Trunks reminded them. "Whatever happened, she's safe."

"He's right," Goku stated, "but either way, I'm going to. I need to see for myself that she's okay."

Vegeta nodded knowing that he would not be the best to drive such a far distance even though he had finally renewed his license. Not only that, but he also didn't have a car to drive yet, and he didn't plan on using Trunks's. Going with Goku was the best option. The ride up would give Vegeta time to calm down while also thinking of what he'd do when he saw her. All he knew for sure was that he would be relieved once she was back in his arms, and, once she was, he planned to give her the scolding of her life for fucking scaring him, for scaring all of them.

At least Trunks was right. His mother was safe and alive. _Thank God._

* * *

A/N: You know, I almost thought about leaving this chapter on a cliffhanger ending it when Vegeta answered the phone, but I'm pretty sure, so soon after the last cliffhanger and the results, that that probably would have been too mean. I had anxiety _writing_ the chapter even though I knew the outcome. I didn't want anyone to be mad at me, so yay, Bulma's okay! Okay…so, no one be mad since I didn't make you wait on that one ^^' Heh heh… Hopefully I'll have the next chapter out soon.


	44. Chapter 43

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

The drive felt longer than two hours, especially when Goku had driven by the spot where Bulma's car had crashed. Officers were still on the scene directing traffic while the wreckage was being removed. The back of the car was completely totaled, but most of the damage was on the driver's side. Bulma was lucky that the rear had been what had hit the mountain instead of the front. She was lucky to be alive. It left Vegeta feeling unsettled.

He wiped his clammy palms against his dress pants, the fabric absorbing very little. Goku noticed the action and frowned, his already tight grip squeezing the steering wheel harder. He was trying to focus, the whole ride up, on the fact that his friend was safe, but seeing where the accident took place was chilling. His friend had been in there, and the driver's side look dented and broken. "She's okay," he whispered out loud for both his and Vegeta's benefit. "She said she was okay."

Vegeta drew in a shaky breath before replying with, "I know." Knowing she was safe, though, was not enough for him. He needed to see her.

They had finally reach the hospital, Vegeta rushing towards the lobby demanding to see his girlfriend. Goku was a little nervous when commotion was stirred up and eyes were on them, but his met a pair of blue and he relaxed. "Bulma," he murmured earning Vegeta's attention.

The flame-haired man slowly turned to see his girlfriend standing there. She looked fine overall, but she did have a few scratches and forming bruises. Still, Vegeta could not take his eyes off her. She weakly smiled at him, her eyes pleading with his for forgiveness. Vegeta didn't care. His reaction, one which shocked her, was to run over to her, ignoring the onlookers, and embrace her tightly while being wary of any injuries she could have. But as quick as that had happened, Vegeta was screaming at Bulma who simply smiled as her boyfriend unleashed his emotions on her. "What were you thinking?" he shouted. "You could have died!"

Goku was flabbergasted by his outburst as were some onlookers, but Bulma understood where this rage stemmed from. He was so afraid, afraid that he could have lost her the same way he had lost another. She couldn't fault him. Instead of giving him an explanation for his actions, though, she lifted her hand and gently stroked his cheek, hi heavy breathing fanning her face. "I love you," she whispered.

Her words seemed to calm Vegeta, the man cradling her against him as he brought his lips to her ear. "Don't you ever fucking scare me like that again," he berated, his voice sounding tired and defeated, "because I don't know what the hell I'd do without you."

"You don't have to worry about that today," she assured him. "I have a clean bill of health."

Onlookers were watching the scene, so Goku took it upon himself to move Bulma and Vegeta alone so he could get them home. "Well, now that we've found you, it's time to head back. Trunks and Mai were worried sick. We all were. It's really a relief that you're okay."

"I'm sorry I scared you all," Bulma told them. "I'll try not to make a habit out of it."

"You better not," Vegeta grunted. "Let's go home."

Goku corralled them back to the car getting them away from prying eyes.

Bulma and Vegeta went to sit in the back once they returned to Goku's car, Goku occasionally glancing at them through the rearview mirror. Vegeta had not once released his hold on Bulma's hand, the woman sliding through to the other side. The two were silent for a while as Goku drove off, that was until, finally, Vegeta spoke. "Why did it take you so long to call?"

Bulma squeezed his hand. "I already told you," she whispered. "I didn't have service and-"

"You could have called me the second you got to the hospital," Vegeta interjected. "I would have wanted to be there, to know instead of wondering where you were. Why did you wait? Did you not think we would all worry?"

His girlfriend hesitated and rubbed the back of her neck. "I wanted to make sure I was okay before I told you all about the accident, and I also wanted to make sure Broly was settled in. Before I called, I was giving my information to his doctor. He has no one but us."

Vegeta shook his head in disbelief. "I still can't believe Broly has been going through all of this. I should have read the signs. He was reluctant to take the position. Now I know why."

"He didn't want you to know," Bulma explained. "The last time he had an episode was when he was a teenager. It was a horrible experience. As for the position, he took it because he didn't want to disappoint you. He felt honored you would consider him, honored that you thought so highly of him."

"Of course I would," Vegeta replied. "He protected our son."

Goku's eyes widened as he glanced back in his mirror. Had he heard right? He could see his best friend smile and couldn't help but grin as well. It had always been Bulma's dream to find someone who accept her son as part of the package, and Goku had no doubt Vegeta would, but to hear him claim Trunks so openly was amazing. It surprised him, but it honestly just felt right. He decided to turn on the radio and repositioned his mirror. The two could use privacy as they continued their discussion.

"Yeah," she agreed. "Anyway, it's been really hard for him. His medication and therapy has usually helped, but he was starting to become paranoid and he thought it would go away because of past bouts he had. And, of course, he always had his father to turn to."

"Paragus is a bastard for putting his son through this," Vegeta hissed. "Broly was doing the right thing for him, even if it put Paragus on the chopping block. Paragus's actions led to this mess. He knew what could happened to his son. It's good he was at least talking to you about it."

Bulma nodded. "He knew I understood anxiety and mental illness, and he knew I wouldn't judge him. Honestly, Vegeta, I was the first friend he made since whatever happened to him last time. I had to help him, and honestly, he needed me in his corner. When the cops came to observe the damage from the accident, I spent almost fifteen minutes trying to convince them that Broly wasn't dangerous. He was such a wreck. He kept apologizing. I honestly thought he was going to have a breakdown then and there, but the officers finally backed off and the ambulance than came to take us to the hospital."

"And they evaluated him there."

Bulma nodded. "He's going to be okay, and the evaluator put me down as his emergency contact. Broly agreed on that and told them he didn't want them speaking to his father if by some chance he found out. I told him we'd visit him in a few days to check on him. The doctor is going to call me tomorrow to tell me how the first night goes."

"Thank God you and Broly weren't hurt," Vegeta murmured quietly, his grip around her hand tightening. "I don't even want to think about-"

"Then don't," Bulma countered, placing a finger to his lips. Vegeta's expression softened, his eyes boring into hers. "I'm here and safe. The car's done for. I got out everything I needed from there. I'll have to look into getting a new vehicle, but I'm not worrying about that one. If anything, I figured we could walk places. The weather is getting warmer, after all."

"Sure," Vegeta agreed, forcing himself not to think about darker thoughts. His lips formed a strained smile, but Bulma couldn't focus on that for long as her pressed his forehead against her. "We'll worry about that crap later. What I want to do is get you home and go to bed. I'm getting too old for this stress."

Bulma couldn't help but laugh at that, and the sound settled Vegeta's soul. He decided to take Bulma's advice and concentrate on the fact that she was safe there in his arms. There was nothing else to worry about at the moment. Sure, they were all going to be worried about Broly for a while, but Bulma had been assured that the doctors and nurses would take excellent care of Broly, and the doctor had actually been the one who worked with Broly the last time he was there. That had made Broly's decision easier. He trusted the man.

The fact that all these major crises had been averted was a blessing.

* * *

Paragus was stunned, not believing what he was seeing on the evening news. He had come home from a long day of searching for a new job. It had been difficult for him since his firing from Ouji Corp. No one wanted to hire him. The best he could do was exchange secrets to a rivaling company, Cold Enterprises. He had found out about one of Bulma's secret projects, one she was keeping from Vegeta like the snake she was. If the project came to fruition and Frieza could make a deal, he was willing to bring Paragus on to take down Ouji Corp. That was never Paragus's intention, but at this point he barely had an option. The other businessmen in the city did not want to hire a man who was willing to destroy evidence that would exonerate a teenager. At least, for now, he could collect unemployment.

After a long day, Paragus just wanted some peace. When he turned on the television, his evening was shattered. There was a reporter standing near a familiar mountain, one he had not seen in many, _many_ years. An accident had occurred, and, for a split second, Paragus caught sight of his son and the very blue hair of the Hamasaki woman. He could see Bulma speaking to the officers, his son holding his head behind her. The officers looked ready to apprehend the man, but it appeared Bulma had talked them down, explaining whatever had happened, and both officers looked upon the man with sympathy. The reporter was speaking over, so Paragus couldn't hear what was being said, but he knew what was happening, especially when an officer went to the reporter and told her to cut the broadcast. The images went back to the newsroom, a woman spoke saying that the details about the accident and the passengers was classified, but that their sources noted that both the man and woman were fine and safe at the nearby hospital. Paragus was still feeling unsettled.

 _There's no way,_ he thought somberly. _How could he let this happen?_ The man glared at the television before he powered it off. This was _humiliating_. He never expected to see his son on television because of _that_. A relapse, of all things, should have never happened. His son was better than that, and now it would become public knowledge, he was certain. There was no way his enemy, that bitch of a woman, would keep this to herself. Broly should have never trusted that siren.

He remembered scolding his son for letting that witch in on their secret. Broly had been blind to the woman's tricks, and now she would end him. It didn't matter that she brought him to the hospital. Paragus was certain that sue his son for all he was worth, and Paragus had no intention of helping.

However, he was still concerned.

Despite the fact that he disagreed with all of his son's choices, he was still responsible for him. Paragus knew he needed to talk to Broly to find out what happened. Maybe his medication had lost its effect, or maybe his son had stopped going to his therapist. It never occurred to the man that stress could be the underlying factor or that he himself had played a role in this episode.

" _Mountain Central Psyche Ward,"_ a female voice spoke. _"Marilyn speaking. How man I direct your call?"_

Paragus sighed. "Yes, hello. My son was admitted today, Broly Legend. I need to speak with him immediately."

" _Certainly,"_ the woman replied. _"Let me just check his paperwork to make sure you're one of the ones I can speak to. HIPAA and all that._

"Yes, of course," Paragus agreed, used to this process. He patiently waited to be connected, but he was not expecting the words that came out of the secretary's mouth.

" _Mr. Legend,"_ she murmured wearily yet sternly, " _it says that I am not supposed to speak with you if by any chance you learned of your son's admittance. Broly himself stated that he had nothing to say to you except for a message he said we could pass along. He wanted us to tell you that he's perfectly fine thanks to his friends. He owes you no explanation after what you pulled and how you abandoned him. Don't call or visit, or he will have us contact the local authorities."_

"Now, see here, you insolent wretch!"

" _Those were his words, sir, not mine,"_ Marilyn stated angrily. _"And to be perfectly honest, I didn't mind saying them if any of that was true. Good day to you, sir."_ The line went dead after that.

Paragus nearly tossed his cell phone against the wall as he seethed with anger. How _dare_ he? How _DARE_ he? After all he had done, after all he had sacrificed to get him help the first time. Paragus had been the one to suffer during that time, having to deal with the prejudice and move them to a new city. Did Broly _forget_ he did all of that? Well, it didn't matter. If he wanted to be alone, that was his problem. Paragus had other goals to focus on, namely destroying Ouji Corp. This only served to seal his decision. Bulma Hamasaki and Vegeta Kurobushi would pay for taking everything away from him. That was a promise.

* * *

The next morning, both Mai and Bulma had slept in due to their exhaustion from the previous day. Vegeta had gotten up at his early morning hour, exercising down in the living room. He had barely slept during the night, his stress from Bulma's ordeal still gripping his heart. His couple hours of exercise had helped him to rid himself of the anxiety, but he was still upset by the accident, and even more upset that the whole situation had happened at all. He and Bulma spoke about Broly's situation at length the night before, and Vegeta felt even more anger towards Paragus for abandoning his son. Where he was pissed that Bulma had been in danger, he could not fault her for wanting to help her friend, someone who had risked everything in his world to protect Trunks.

It was when Vegeta was making himself breakfast when Trunks entered the dining room looking a little worse for wear. His eyes were dark and tired, a yawn escaping him as he lied his head down on his folded arms on the table. The boy hadn't gotten much sleep either, it seemed. From the kitchen, Vegeta decided to engage the teenager. If anything, it would take his mind off of the previous day's events. "What's wrong?" he questioned, and Trunks jumped in surprise not having expected Vegeta to speak at that moment.

"It's nothing," Trunks offered as an explanation. Vegeta's eyes narrowed, but he didn't have to pry much more. Trunks must have realized it was not a sufficient answer for he added, "Just Mai and I were up late talking about what happened at school and the stuff with mom. She's struggling with everything going on, and last night really scared her. I don't really know how to help her except by just being there for her. There's nothing else to say."

Vegeta didn't really have the words for him, and Trunks dropped the subject right then and there. The teenager was right in his approach. This was new territory for all of them. Maybe what Trunks needed was a moment not to think about all of this. The previous day had overwhelmed him between his girlfriend's struggles and his mother's disappearance. Trunks deserved a moment of peace and freedom. Vegeta thought about the DNA test and what he had told Bulma. Where he had felt paternal feelings towards the boy and had admitted it to himself and, recently, to Bulma, it occurred to him that Trunks was still in the dark about how Vegeta felt about him. It was time Trunks were made aware of Vegeta's intentions.

"I'm making eggs for breakfast…son…if that's okay with you."

That had woken Trunks right up. His head shot up, and he stared at Vegeta with widened eyes full of surprise and wonder. "Really?" the teenager questioned quietly yet eagerly, but he noticed Vegeta's amused, nervous glance and decided to play his game. "Eggs sound good…dad…if that's okay."

Vegeta relaxed and smirked at that. "I'm the one who offered."

That caused the biggest smile to appear on Trunks's face. "Thanks, dad."

"Hn."

The two became silent, though it was a comfortable silence. They ate their breakfast together, Trunks feeling over the moon that Vegeta was allowing him to call him "dad." That was completely unexpected. Lately, it seemed that he and Vegeta were growing closer, but Trunks could never have initiated this. He was too nervous and afraid he'd chase Vegeta away with his eagerness. The fact that Vegeta had offered even though he and his mother had been dating for a short time and weren't even discussing a future, or at least Trunks assumed that for his mother would have told him, was probably one of the greatest things that could have ever happened. Trunks finally had someone to call "dad," and he trusted and respected the man deeply.

Of course, he respected him as much more than his mother's boyfriend, a confidant, and a father figure. He also respected him as his boss. That reminded him about something. "Wait, at work, I can't call you that, right? Do I have to call you Mr. Kurobushi?"

Vegeta chuckled. "You've been calling me by my first name this whole time," he reminded the boy. "Alone, it's fine, but around other workers, just for now, call me Vegeta. You know people at the office like to talk, and I'm sure Launch would go up to your mother demanding answers."

Trunks nodded, his eyes wide as he thought of that last part, but then his eyes filled with annoyance. "Yeah, people at the company need to learn to mind their own business. It's like my high school. I thought that stuff is supposed to end when we graduate."

"Never does," Vegeta scoffed. "So get used to it, boy."

Trunks laughed lightly. "So, can I tell my friends? What about mom?"

"Yes and…yes," Vegeta replied. "Your mother knows how I feel already. I wanted to make sure you knew, too."

The teenager smiled sheepishly at Vegeta. "Would you believe me if I told you I've wanted it to be you since the moment I met you?"

Vegeta outright laughed at that. "Trunks, you weren't very discrete. I'm sure we all knew."

"I hope that didn't add extra pressure on you," Trunks murmured, frowning.

"Nothing I couldn't handle," Vegeta assured him. "It just made me think more about it, the kind of future I wanted. Honestly, given my past and home life, I never knew I wanted to be a father. I did not have a good role model, and I figured I'd destroy any child I had. With you being as old as you are, I didn't think I had the right to act paternal towards you when your mother and I had only been dating for a short while. I know with children it isn't a revolving door, but I also didn't know how a fifteen-year-old would react to being parented by his mother's boyfriend."

"You honestly didn't have to worry about all that," Trunks informed him, grinning. "I've always _wanted_ a father. I tried not to because I always worried mom would feel guilty, and I didn't want that. She's a great mother, but there's stuff she can't help me with. Don't get me wrong. Uncle Tarble and Uncle Goku were always great with teaching me things I needed to know and answering questions I had that mom couldn't answer or was uncomfortable discussing. Mom answered a lot of my questions too, but sometimes it was just plain awkward." Vegeta caught his drift and chuckled when Trunks blushed slightly. "And it's not like you were trying to parent me. You've just sort of been there for me, giving me advice and telling me when I've done something stupid like when I ran off and panicked mom and got sick. Even though I'm a teenager, I want to have that kind of relationship with you."

Vegeta nodded. "Then we will. I'll still leave the discipline and decisions to your mother. I have an idea how she raised you, but I don't want to contradict her in any way. She is your mother, after all. Besides, you hardly do anything to warrant punishment."

"That's because I didn't want to make things hard for her," Trunks admitted, and Vegeta's eyes softened. "She's always had so much going on, and I know stuff about her past that she never wanted me to know. I made the decision a long time ago that I wasn't going to make her have to deal with any issues at school and whatnot. I mean, my last guidance counselor always had it in for me anyway, so I couldn't fully succeed, but I've been trying."

"You are a very considerate son," Vegeta told him matter-of-factly. "I'm proud of you."

Trunks beamed at the praise, his smile getting more pronounced. Vegeta couldn't help but wonder if the boy's face felt numb yet. Their conversation was cut short when the padding of feet alerted them. The two women slowly descended the stairs, Mai looking tired as she tried to rub the sleep from her eyes. Bulma still looked like she was sleeping while walking. "Morning," the woman said, her voice think with sleep. "Did someone make coffee?"

"Yeah," Trunks said, looking back at Vegeta with an impish grin. "Dad did."

Mai froze, her hand dropping to her side as she blinked at Trunks. Bulma nearly tripped down the stairs but caught herself, and she was now fully awake. Her eyes landed on Vegeta who simply poured her a mug of coffee and added two creams and two sugars knowing exactly how she liked it when most people thought she took it black. The man was smirking, acting completely natural, as if he expected Trunks to call him that like it was the most normal thing to ever happen. Vegeta's reaction was as unexpected as Trunks's claim, but it wasn't entirely unexpected. The night before, Vegeta had called Trunks _their_ son, _his_ son. She just hadn't expected Vegeta to bridge that gap so soon.

Her heart burst with love for both her boys and with joy over the look on her son's face. Trunks was elated, and that pure bliss was contagious. Mai and Bulma joined them downstairs, Vegeta returning to the kitchen to make the women breakfast. All talk that morning was light, and they all just took the day to relax. After the previous day, they needed it.

* * *

To visit Broly days later, Goku had lent Bulma his car so that she, Vegeta, Trunks, and Mai could all visit the man together. She was thankful that her friend was so understanding. Originally, he was just going to drive her and Vegeta up to the hospital, but Trunks had expressed interest in going, and Mai didn't want to be alone at the house. She felt safer with her family.

Broly had been in the sitting room, and he was astonished when he saw the four. He knew Bulma and Vegeta would be coming, but he was surprised that Bulma would bring the kids. Trunks had explained that he wanted to see him and engaged him in some conversation that took Broly's mind off his predicament for the moment until Broly's doctor came to see him and Bulma. That was when Trunks and Mai decided to walk around for a bit.

Mai actually ended up going off on her own, and she ended up at a fish tank that was on the far side of the room. She sat down on the couch, wrapping her arms around herself, and stared at the different fish. It was actually kind of relaxing to watch them swim and listen to the sounds of the bubbles being made. A middle-aged woman sat down beside Mai making the teenager flinch. She hovered over her legs but continued to watch the tank. Maybe the woman would go away.

"Watching fish is very calming," the lady spoke, her voice warm, and Mai eased a little bit. "They just go with the flow with both eyes wide open."

"Um, yeah," she replied awkwardly as she nodded. She couldn't disagree.

"Are you visiting someone?" the woman asked. Mai nodded curtly. "Family?" She shook her head. "Well, I'm sure your friend appreciates your visit."

Mai was growing paranoid the longer this woman tried to engage her. There was no reason for this stranger to come over to her for conversation. "Why are you trying to talk to me?" she questioned, her voice thick with accusation.

The other woman simply smiled. "Because," she responded, "just from a glance I could see my old self in you. About a year ago, I was suffering from the worst depression I could ever imagine. I was married to a man, a very abusive man who attacked me killing our unborn child." Mai's eyes widened, and she sheepishly looked away. The woman offered her an empathetic smile. "I struggled with thoughts of self-doubt and self-harm after. I had escaped the man, but the pain, fear, and despair still followed. It was devastating."

Mai's heart began to race as thoughts of Zarbon returned to her. She had been doing a good job of keeping them at bay for the day, but what the patient was describing was so similar to how she was feeling minus the thoughts of self-harm. To be honest, with all of the torture she endured from Zarbon, hurting herself was the last thing she wanted. Besides, Trunks would be devastated if that ever happened. She decided to occupy herself with the woman's story. Anything was better than focusing on herself. "Did someone commit you here?"

"Oh, no, sweetie. To be honest, I came here on my own when the dark thoughts started entering my head. I was afraid for myself, afraid I'd do something, so I came. It's taken a long time to pull myself out of that darkness, but I promise you, whatever your story, you will get through it. You're still very young which is good. It means you have time to focus on all of the good. Just remember, always remind yourself that you are beautiful and worth more than you think."

Mai was astounded by how the woman had picked apart her character by just a mere glance. It made her increasingly fearful that a stranger could figure her out, and she wondered how others saw her. Maybe it really was just because this woman had experienced a similar situation, but even Trunks had noticed her all those months ago. He knew something was wrong, and their friends had noticed changes in her behavior before she admitted to them about the PTSD. This was too much. She felt like the walls were closing in on her.

"Mai," Trunks called out for her, Mai's attention snapping to him. She then quickly looked back to the woman.

"I promise you," she spoke gently, "that those thoughts you have now will only get further and further away with time. Now, I need to go meet with my therapist, but I'm going to suggest something. I noticed that, also like me, you were drawn to the tank. Watching the fish and even cleaning the tank does help steal your focus away from everything else, or at least that's what it did for me. Maybe it's something you'd want to consider."

The woman left Mai alone, and Trunks walked over to her. He smiled at his girlfriend, sitting beside her. "Who was that?"

"I don't know," Mai replied. "We were just talking."

Trunks nodded and glanced over at the tank. "Oh, hey cool," he chimed. "That tank looks awesome. Have you been over here this whole time?"

"Yeah," Mai admitted, her lips quirked up in a small smile. "Go figure."

Her boyfriend grinned, getting comfortable on the couch. He took her hand and pulled her closer to him. Mai pulled her feet up beside her and leaned her head on Trunks's shoulder. She was certain they were being watched by nosy onlookers, but she didn't really mind for once. Instead, she allowed herself to feel comfort in Trunks's embrace and paid close attention of the swimming fish. Maybe there was some merit to that that woman had told her.

* * *

Broly's doctor left him with Bulma and Vegeta after a while once he had finished discussing the treatment. Having gone through what she had with Goku as a teenager, she understood a lot of what was being said. Still, she felt like maybe this was an invasion of privacy, and she expressed her concerns to her friend. Broly assured her that that was the furthest from the truth.

Once the three were alone, Broly took it upon himself to apologize for Vegeta. The flame-haired man was bewildered by the apology and asked what Broly possibly had to say sorry over. Broly sadly explained that he knew accepting the offered position would be a struggle, but he hadn't wanted to disappoint the man nor did he want to appear ungrateful for such an offer. Vegeta assured him that there was nothing for which to apologize.

The discussion then shifted to Broly's mental health. "So, how is the new medication the doctor said they're trying?" Bulma asked gently. "Has it made any difference? I mean, I know when Goku was finding the right med that it took a while to see a difference, but I'm just curious."

"I've been okay today," Broly informed them. "So far, at least. I could still hear voices yesterday and they were saying horrible things." His expression grew dark, and he could not meet their eyes. "I'm loathe to admit that one of the voices sounded like my father."

"Paragus?" Vegeta voiced, his expression souring. "Why him?"

Broly shrugged. "It felt more like a memory than anything else at first," he explained. "But then the voice veered from conversations I knew we had and turned into words the man never said to me."

"Like what?" Bulma asked, her voice full of sympathy.

Broly looked to the woman and sighed. "The voice called me a disgrace," he murmured reluctantly. "It told me that my father never wanted a son and that he hoped I was happy that I managed to tarnish both our images."

Vegeta glowered at a spot on a wall. "Those words are just that," he told Broly, not meeting his gaze. "Even if it's a voice in your head, it still affects you. My father had said similar words to me if not those exact words. I don't know why you're hearing those statements in Paragus's voice, but memory or not, spoken or not, those words mean absolutely nothing."

"Thank you," Broly stated sincerely, smiling at his boss. "That means a lot, actually."

Vegeta nodded and then added, "Don't worry about your time in here. I promise you that your original job will still be there for you when you're ready to leave, your current salary from the promotion will remain the same."

The words caused Broly to gape at his employer. He was completely stunned. "Are you serious?" Vegeta's expression conveyed his answer. "No, Vegeta, I couldn't ask for that. The positions are on two completely different levels. I can return to my old salary. I don't mind. I can't accept that."

"You will," Vegeta ordered. "Broly, you saved my son from going to prison." Broly blinked in surprise and noticed Bulma trying to hide her smile. "I gave you a promotion because you were good at what you do and I always award loyalty and sacrifice. You sacrificed your relationship with your father for us. You are absolutely deserving of so much more than an increased salary. I owe you much more than that."

"No," Broly argued. "You don't. I was just doing what was right."

"Sometimes doing the right thing isn't always easy," Vegeta stated. "There are times where it's much easier to do the wrong thing. Don't take this personally, but me saying I was not a fan of your father is an understatement. He tried to work the board and turn them against me, continuously undermined me at every turn. He even hired employees that were unfit just to cause problems for me, and he went after Bulma and our relationship more times than I could count. You are a better man than he is. You made everything easier for Bulma and Trunks when your father tried to blackmail her into quitting using our son as a bargaining chip. We could never repay you enough for what you did."

Vegeta's claim on Trunks astonished Broly, but he was truly happy for Bulma and Trunks. Broly never expected a reward for helping the teenager, especially because he couldn't in good conscience let an innocent teenager suffer in prison. He couldn't deny Vegeta, though, not when he was so adamant. Plus, his boss knew of his illness and still wanted to keep him employed. He wouldn't have been surprised if Vegeta had politely let him go, but that wasn't happening. If anything, he was being offered understanding and compassion in the form of his old job. He really did like that position. "I'll accept," Broly finally surrendered. "Thank you, Vegeta."

"Of course," Vegeta returned. "And just know that if anything work related stresses you out or gives you any trouble, my door will be open. We can discuss it privately in my office."

Broly's eyes softened as they conveyed his relief and thanks. Bulma remained quiet, silently observing the two, and she had to admit that, where Vegeta's actions and words didn't surprise her, they were unexpected. She could tell that a lot of pressure had been lifted off her friend's shoulders, and he appeared more relaxed and at ease. Bulma was honestly proud of both of them.

Her eyes wandered to the clock, and she realized that they had already been there for a few hours. She hadn't realized it had gotten so late. "It's okay, Bulma," Broly assured her. "I'm fine, thanks to you guys. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't helped me."

"As Vegeta said, that's our line," she retorted lightly. "But hey, that's what family does for each other, right?"

A quiet gasp left Broly as Bulma said those words, and Vegeta nodded along with them. For the longest time, it had only been himself and his father, and the two remained fairly distant with just the bond of their shared experience. Broly never strived to feel like he belonged somewhere. His father had been his confidant and that was that, but knowing Bulma and her family, as chaotic and loud as they could be, a part of him started to feel like he belonged. Now, Bulma was claiming him as part of her family, and he truly believed she meant it. Nothing either of them could say would ever make him feel any more honored than he did in that moment, for now he really did have a family, and he knew he was not going to be in this alone.

Everything was going to be okay.

* * *

A/N: So after a ton of intensity, we had a chapter with some peace and some fluff going on, especially the Vegeta/Trunks fluff. That was probably my favorite scene this chapter. It was the first scene I wrote for it while I was planning the chapter ^_^ Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed. Thank you for reading. Now I gotta try to get cracking on more writing. This month has been a slow writing month for me. Later!


	45. Chapter 44

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Hey everyone! In addition to trying to work weekly updates for a few of my stories, I'm hoping to also keep you more notified. On my fanfiction profile, I do a monthly update deal and occasionally change the stories in my "Currently Working On" section. I decided that I wasn't doing much with my DeviantArt account except the occasional practice drawing. So now, I'm going to be using it to give you more real time updates. Feel free, if you have or decide to make an account, to search and watch Firestorm1991 (makes it easier to remember, right?). That way, you can know what I'm up to and updating.

Also, sorry I took such a long break from BXV. I've been on a pairing kick from another fandom, actually similar to the pairing, Hiei X Botan from Yu Yu Hakusho. I don't know, just took off on those stories the last couple of weeks. But I'm back now. I'm hoping to work on the next chapters of Camaraderie and Visions soon. I also have some behind the scenes planning going on for more stories that I won't be posting yet. I need to get a couple finished off first (let's hope my brain agrees…). Hopefully, I'll be able to give a little more love to this fandom soon. Until then, enjoy this chapter!

We had a break from the "holiday saga" and now we have some upcoming birthdays.

 _Anyway!_ Onward!

* * *

"Happy Birthday!" Many voices chimed either adding mom, grandma, or Bunny at the end. The blonde woman blew out her candles and then smiled at the crowd all around her. She was just so happy to have so many people she loved in one place. A birthday couldn't get much better than that.

Bulma had stopped by earlier to take her out to lunch with her, Trunks, and Mai. They had had a fun-filled day just walking around the mall and taking a look at the different shops. Bulma even bought her mother a couple of trinkets and pieces of jewelry she had her eye on. The day was perfect, and Bunny wouldn't have traded it for the world, though she could have done without her grandson telling the wait staff that it was her birthday. Still, they shared lots of laughter and love.

When Bulma brought the woman to hers and Vegeta's apartment for dinner, she wasn't surprised, but she was immensely surprised when they got upstairs. Lifelong friends, colleagues from work, Goku's family, and even members of their family were all over the apartment greeting the woman with a cry of "surprise." The blonde woman looked to her daughter who simply smiled and hugged her. She couldn't believe Bulma had planned a party for her.

The evening was full of merriment as Bunny was engaged in conversation on all sides, but what really won the woman over the most was when she heard Trunks calling Vegeta his dad for the first time in front of everyone and the fact that Vegeta responded in kind. She had not been aware of that new development, and it made her so happy. She would occasionally glance over at her daughter, Vegeta close by her, the two talking and laughing together as if they weren't surrounded by a multitude of people.

"Hey, Bunny," Goku greeted happily, taking a seat by the woman. "Happy Birthday, again." He slipped her a package from him and his family.

"Oh, Goku, you all shouldn't have," she murmured fondly. "Thank you. How are you doing? The family?"

"I can't complain," he replied. "Everything has been going really well. Things with Goten have eased up and he's much more relaxed than he was. Gohan is still excelling at school. I don't know how he does it, to be honest."

Bunny offered a smile. "Your boys are wonderful," she told him. "I'm so glad they're both all right."

"Me too," Goku responded with a grin before his eyes travelled to where the woman was staring. His grin widened. "They're really good together," he said. "I think this is the happiest she's been."

"Not that I was worried about her meeting someone," Bunny started, "but I'm really glad she met that Vegeta. He's been such a pillar of support for her, and I think she needed that. And Trunks seems really happy with him too."

"They're a family," Goku replied. "Of course he's happy."

The conversation was close to its end, but it didn't stop someone from interrupting. Surprisingly, Tarble had come to her party as well, and he had even brought the cake. He placed it in front of the woman and smiled. Bulma gathered everyone around so they could all sing "Happy Birthday." After the song had ended, Trunks had told his grandmother to blow out the candles and make a wish. She did the first bit, but truthfully she had no wish to make. Her family was happy and healthy and with her on her special day. She needed nothing else.

* * *

Mai couldn't help but stare at the newly set up fish tank. After speaking with the woman at the clinic where Broly was, Mai thought more about it. She stared off into space a lot, her mind solely on her past with Zarbon and the uncertainty of her future. Even the television brought little comfort to her. She decided it was worth a try. The hum of the filters and sound of bubbles were constant and relaxing, and watching the fish swim helped distract her. Plus, she'd eventually had to clean the tank and that would keep her active. It was set up on the empty side of her room, bringing color to the space. Trunks had helped her set it up and promised to help her when it came time to clean the tank and change the water.

She stood in front of the tank, watching her new collection of freshwater fish swim around. Bulma had been very enthusiastic about getting the girl a fish tank mainly because she had grown up taking care of her own fish as a child. She thought it would be a fun experience for Mai and Trunks. The woman had helped Mai pick out a different variety of fishes that she really liked. She had a female beta fish to reduce the competition in her tank. She knew a male would go after other male fish if it felt threatened. Another type she had gotten was a painted swordtail. It reminded her of the paintings her mother used to work on, so that was her favorite one. There were a couple of fan dance gobies and a group of neon tetra. And last but not least were the couple of goldfish she had, one with bubbled cheeks like Bulma herself had had as a child, and a calico goldfish.

She had fake plants of all different colors and small violet alcoves for each of the fish to hind in, and a little treasure chest that would open and flush bubbles. The light above would change between night and day, so she would always have light in her room and be able to see the beautiful colors in her tank. Instead of reflecting, she could just look at the jubilant little fish actively swimming and interacting.

Trunks had come up from behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist tentatively. Mai had expected it when she heard his footsteps, and she relaxed in his grip, wrapping her arms around his and leaning against him. "So," he whispered in her ear, "what do you think?"

"I love it," Mai murmured. "Thank you for helping me set it up."

"Of course," her boyfriend chirped, amused. "I think it looks great. Now you have some fish friends to look out for you too."

Mai laughed at that and shook her head. "You're a nut." The two stood there watching the fish for a while. "So…I guess I should start coming up with names for all these fish. There's not _too_ many, though I won't be able to tell those tetras apart."

"I have a simple solution for that one," Trunks offered, and Mai looked up at him. He smirked. "They're schooling fish, right? So it's like one entity. So, they're all Bob."

Mai giggled at that, but she nodded. That was a simple solution. She liked it. Her eyes wandered to her prized painted swordtail. "I want to name her Amber."

"How do you know it's a girl, and why Amber?" Trunks asked.

"It was my mother's middle name," Mai admitted, "and I don't know, but she reminds me of her."

Trunks smiled, his grip tightening around her. "Then Amber it is. You could name old bubbles there Swimmy. That's what mom named her goldfish."

His girlfriend nodded. "I'll take a page from your book and name the gobies The Twins."

A chuckle escaped Trunks before he said, "I think Betty is a good name for a beta. One more."

"I'll name him Splashes since he's splashed with colors," Mai stated. "And now they're all named."

"Hm," her boyfriend hummed before nuzzling her. "So, how are you feeling today?"

"Really good," Mai admitted, turning around in his grip. "And not just because of the fish. Trunks…I'm sorry I've been so distant and quiet lately. I just want you to know I really do love you. It's just that-"

"You don't need to explain yourself," Trunks said, his brow furrowed in worry. "Mai, I love you, too. I know what happened has been taking its toll on you. I never saw it as you being distant. Technically, you haven't. You still crawl into bed with me or ask me to stay with you in here. Just because we aren't talking doesn't mean you're being distant. You're struggle right now is within, so I just make sure I give you my support in any way you need. I'm content with just holding you in my arms occasionally whispering that everything will be okay. Besides, there's not much to say. We already know how we feel about each other. That's what's important."

"Oh, Trunks," Mai sighed, leaning her head against his chest. His words made her feel more at ease, a soft smile gracing her features. "I'm really lucky to have you."

"I feel the same," Trunks stated sincerely. "So just don't ever think like that, okay? I'm not. I just want you to do whatever you have to do to get better. If that means sitting in silence and just relaxing, I'm fine with that. I know you'll tell me if something majors happens or you need to talk things out."

Mai nodded, agreeing with Trunks's statement. She had spent so much time worrying that she had been neglecting him and their relationship, yet Trunks instead still felt like they were going stronger than ever. He saw himself as her confidant, a partner to lean on, and he was. Mai just wanted to be the same for him, but she realized she needed it more than he did at the moment.

Out of nowhere, Trunks's stomach growled, and the two shared a laugh before they went downstairs to the kitchen to share a meal. However mundane it was, it was wonderfully welcome. It was the sense of normalcy that Mai had been craving.

* * *

A breath of relief escaped Bulma as she gathered all of her documents together, finally consolidating her research. Now that she had more of an idea on how to construct a gravity simulator, she had to go to Vegeta. She needed his feedback and to find out if he'd even want her to start this project with Frieza looming over them. The woman still couldn't believe that her system had been violated and that Frieza was aware of her studies. In thinking of what Paragus had done, her mind went to Broly. She re-centered herself. Broly was definitely suffering worse than she was. She decided to give her friend a quick call, the staff always very accommodating to all of them. At least, it sounded like her friend was doing well.

She made her way to Vegeta's office soon after, the two planning to eat lunch in his office as they discussed her findings and where to go from there. When she arrived there, Nappa was in the office retrieving a couple of documents from Vegeta. He smiled at Bulma as he went to leave, greeting her warmly. He was one of the few on the board whom she was comfortable around.

"Hey," she greeted her boyfriend when his eyes landed on her. "Hope I wasn't interrupting."

"You weren't," Vegeta replied smoothly, inviting her to sit beside him in a chair he brought into his office. "Let's see what you've got."

Bulma always loved Vegeta's straight to the point attitude. She took a seat beside him, and he offered her a bento from the cafeteria. The two started eating and looking over her work, Vegeta's gaze falling on Bulma so many times, his eyes glossed over with sheer admiration. His girlfriend really was brilliant, and he knew this machine could do a lot for her. She could hold herself with confidence, but Vegeta had gotten to know her true self. On some days, it was just a protective front. She was still trying to make her break that would make her father proud and even surpass the man. Vegeta couldn't deny her this opportunity. "You should go forward with the project," he told her, voice full of understanding. Bulma seemed surprised when Vegeta gave her the go ahead. "You need to do this."

"What about Frieza?"

Yes, Vegeta was still wary of Frieza. He had managed to stave the man off for the longest time saying it was only a rumor, but if she went through with the construction it would be known. Still… "The project would benefit the space program," Vegeta offered. "You should present your idea to NASA, and if they agree that there is a need, you should do it. This is amazing, Bulma, and I won't deny you your own project because we're worried about some other CEO. This project is yours and yours alone. I will not make any deals with any other companies regarding this."

"Won't that look bad?" Bulma questioned. "If we let _no one_ in?"

"I don't know, and frankly I don't give a shit," Vegeta replied callously. Bulma couldn't help but smile at her boyfriend. "I didn't get into business to be liked, Bulma. And I've been successful this whole time. One project being solely ours won't harm our alliances."

"Well, okay, then," Bulma replied. "I'll send some e-mails out today to some people at NASA to see if they'd be interested, and I'll let you know if I hear anything."

Vegeta nodded, though he was a bit torn on this. He knew this was what Bulma needed, and it could be her big break in the technological world. He would not hold her back, but his concerns over Frieza were legitimate. Frieza was not someone Vegeta could trust, and he had already used subtle threats before. He didn't need Bulma to be worried any more than she already was. Suddenly, the cafeteria lunch seemed to lose its acceptable taste. Vegeta cast a stern glance over to Bulma who seemed taken aback by his countenance. "We should go out to eat, to celebrate," he stated.

Bulma laughed at that, not noticing the serious demeanor he was attempting to hide. "There's nothing to celebrate _yet,_ Vegeta," she reminded him. "No one has accepted the project yet."

"Then let's just go out for us," he suggested. "It's been a while."

"I'd like that," Bulma returned. It really had been a while since the two of them had gone out alone just for the sake of going out. After their anniversary at the beginning of the month, which their date had not happened, they hadn't made any moves to reschedule since everything had become so hectic. It was already mid-March. They needed some time together. "Would you like me to clock out for the rest of the day? We could continue working from home a little later. What do you think?"

His demeanor eased, his mind not needing any prompting to contemplate her suggestion. He needed time with her, just the two of them, so they could relax and unwind. So much had been happening the past month between their slight tiff after Valentine's Day to Mai's PTSD to Broly's breakdown and Bulma's accident to work and school and other things. Vegeta was ready for an actual day off with his woman. "Sounds perfect, though we're going to scratch out working from home. I'm confident the company can handle itself while we take a well-deserved break."

A small smile graced Bulma's features, a laugh escaping her. "To be honest, I only suggested it to sound like a good employee. I'm sure my boss wouldn't like me pushing off all my work."

Vegeta chuckled, wrapping an arm around her. "Your boss is a reasonable man who enjoys rewarding those who do good work. Your idea is ingenious, Bulma, and as your boss I'm giving you the rest of the day off. It just so happens that I decided I wanted to take a rare half day. We don't want either of us to burn out."

"You are definitely using reason here," Bulma teased. "Alright, I'm game. Just let me send the e-mails and I'll meet you downstairs, okay?"

"Fine, woman," Vegeta whispered in her ear. "Take your time. We have the whole rest of the day."

* * *

Mai was still feeling a little stressed, but she had to admit she was doing much better. She was now taking medication to help with her anxiety and depression. It took the edge off. In the past, she probably would have fought more, but she knew a bit more about the whole process thanks to Goten who was now fully aware of what was going on. She had felt it was right to explain to him why she had flipped out the day he had been there. He had been very understanding and kept his promise to tell no one. At least Trunks could now confide what he was feeling to his best friend. Mai felt a little bit more at ease after that and after Goten told her about what he went through in finding the right medication.

It had been a hellish experience to say the least, some pills actually making her depression worse. Trunks had to talk her down and nurture her those nights, his parents also speaking with her and trying to help her through it. What really frightened her was that one of the drugs led to her having thoughts of self-harm and that had never happened to her before. That night she cried for the longest time, shaking in Trunks's arms while Bulma called her doctor and told her the effect the medication had on her. They decided to try something new, and so far she was handling it pretty well.

She was starting to see Pilaf more. He went with her to all of her appointments which took some of the pressure off of both Bulma and Mai. Constantly, he and Trunks would remind her that her sixteenth birthday was slowly approaching, right before Trunks's birthday, actually. Juu called her to remind her as well. Hopefully, then, Mai would be fully free of all guardianship, not that she minded Bulma as her current guardian. She just wanted to be her own woman, no matter what, so that she would know without a shadow of a doubt that Zarbon could never get to her again, not that he really could now. She knew it was silly, but she just wanted full freedom from her past.

"What do you think of this one?"

Mai looked over to Valese and smiled as the girl held a yellow gown up to her figure. The two girls had decided to go shopping for the spring formal the following month. It was a nice change, getting out instead of locking herself in her room to think about how she couldn't stop thinking about the past. Though Valese had no idea what Mai was going through or about her PTSD, Mai could really call the girl her best friend. She kept the mood light and made Mai smile. Mai was really lucky to have been taken in by Trunks's group of friends. "I think you look like Belle from _Beauty and the Beast,_ " Mai teased. "Try again."

Valese pouted, but she continued to search for a dress, coming across a lovely, crimson gown. "Hey, Mai, look at this one," she called out, earning the raven-haired teen's attention. Mai's eyes widened slightly before she narrowed her eyes playfully. She knew what the other girl would say. "This would look great on you."

"Heh," Mai responded. "Yeah, no, red isn't my color. Nice try, though."

"Not the same as red," Valese teased. "Even the tag says 'crimson.' Come on, try it on. You've got nothing to lose."

"Fine," Mai huffed, taking the dress from her friend, "but I'm only doing this for you."

"Yeah, yeah, just go already. I'll catch up. I'm going to try looking for a darker colored dress for me."

"Try blue," Mai suggested. "Honestly, though, I think you'll look great in any color. Yellow just washes everyone out."

"Did you just say something about fashion?" Valese gasped dramatically. She pretended to wipe a tear away. "I'm so proud."

Mai muttered something under her breath before saying, "Oh for the love of…just go find a dress, Val."

The brunette ran off while Mai made her way to the changing room. She had to admit, the dress looked really pretty on the hanger. Valese really did have nice taste. Still, she didn't know how it would look on her, though her friend was right. It was just trying on a dress, after all. She had nothing to lose.

* * *

Gohan couldn't believe that Videl was actually inviting him over to her house. They hadn't been officially dating that long, but it still surprised him that she was even considering having him over, even for a little bit. The mansion where she lived was huge and kind of off-putting. It reminded Gohan that Videl's father was very wealthy. He looked over to his girlfriend, frowning. The price of this wealth was to lose valuable time with the amazing, beautiful woman standing beside him. "Well, this is it," she declared. "Come on it, and make yourself at home. We've got the whole place to ourselves."

The teenager swallowed a lump that formed in his throat. He was sure Videl meant nothing by it, but the remark had gone and made him nervous. Gohan had never dated before, only ever been blackmailed into taking a couple girls on innocent movie dates in middle school. This was not his territory, his social anxiety skyrocketing. Just what did Videl expect of him?

Well, he didn't have to think about it for long. For the most part, they were just watching television, Videl setting out an array of snacks. Gohan had to admit that he was silly. It was Videl, after all. There was no reason to panic or think that she wanted anything more from him than he was comfortable expressing. So far, she had taken everything at his pace.

Until, about after two hours of snacking and watching television, she kissed him.

Gohan pulled away, shocked, Videl smirking devilishly at him. His eyes questioned hers. They hadn't really been an official couple for long, only recently deciding to give it a shot. They had told no one. Most of the time, they just hung out. Sure, Gohan had deep, romantic feelings for her, but he didn't know if he was ready to act upon them yet. Apparently, she was.

But he definitely felt something as she looked at him with determined eyes, and he really did care about her. Something clicked in his mind. There was nothing wrong with this arrangement. It was okay to act on his feelings. After all, it had felt really nice.

So, Gohan pulled Videl back to him, his girlfriend going along with the flow. He kissed her softly, a soft sigh escaping both of them. They were so caught up in the moment that neither of them heard the sound of the front door opening. They did, however, hear Videl's father yelling out, and the two froze and broke their kiss. Videl looked at her father questioningly, while Gohan just seemed stupefied. The man was clearly angry, and he yanked Gohan up by the back of his shirt, getting him away from his daughter.

"Who the hell do you think you are, you punk?" he shouted at the teenager, not realizing that he was hardly dragging Gohan as the boy willingly followed.

"Dad!" Videl called out, also close behind them. "Let him go! I invited him over!"

"Quiet, Videl, this doesn't concern you," her father countered.

"The hell it doesn't!"

"Please, Videl, I've got this," Gohan murmured, his eyes meeting her angry father's. "Sorry, Mr. Hercule, sir. I got caught up in the moment is all."

"Cut the polite act, kid," Hercule growled. "I've seen it all before. Now, get in the training room."

"Gah!" Gohan cried as he was pushed into the room, his girlfriend's father demanding he fight with him. The teenager was at a loss what to do. He really didn't want to fight with the man. He did not have nearly as much experience as someone who was a professional martial artist, but he could probably hold out for a while.

"Seriously, dad, stop," Videl demanded, growing worried for Gohan. She had never seen her father this angry, especially over her.

"Take this!" Hercule shouted, charging for Gohan. The teenager was able to dodge the majority of the hits using speed and the man's anger against him.

"Mr. Hercule," Gohan sighed, still avoiding the hits, "I promise…I didn't come here expecting anything like that to happen. We were just hanging out."

"Lies!" the father yelled.

"No, I mean it," Gohan assured him. "I really just wanted to spend time with Videl. She's really wonderful. She's kind and sweet and listens to me. We have a lot in common between martial arts and T.V. shows, and she's really good at video games."

"Stop acting like you know my daughter, you scammer!"

"But I do know her," Gohan replied, brows furrowing. "I know that she's really smart, secretly likes listening to classical music when she's not in school, the way she chews on her lip when she's deep in concentration in class, and how proud and outgoing she is whenever we have presentations. I really like all that about her. It's helped me to become a bit more outgoing, too."

Videl was shocked to hear Gohan say all of that about her, especially highlighting all these features of herself that she never even fully knew like how she only seemed to play classical music _only when_ she wasn't in school and that she chewed her lip when concentrating. No wonder they were always so chapped… The girl panicked, though, when Gohan stopped trying to avoid her father's hits, then man going after him. Gohan wore the sincerest expression, completely genuine, and said something that shocked both Videl and her father. "I love her, sir."

"What?" the father/daughter pair said at the exact same time, but it was already too late. Hercule had already thrown a punch, his fist striking Gohan hard in the chest and knocking him down. Videl ran over to the teenager, her father frozen in place. Gohan coughed once before chuckling and casting a sideward glance to his girlfriend.

"Oh, Gohan," she whispered, "are you okay?"

The boy just bounced back up, sitting and beaming at the girl. "What are you talking about? I'm fine," he assured her. "It didn't even hurt." Of course, that last part was a bit of a lie, but Gohan didn't want Videl to be angry with her father. The man was just trying to protect her. Red dusted his cheeks, though, as he remembered that he had basically just confessed his feelings to her right in front of her father. "Um, listen, I don't…you don't…"

"Oh, shut up, Gohan," Videl replied. She moved to kiss his cheek, Gohan's eyes fluttering shut as he released a content sigh. A bitter chuckle left the girl, and she hugged him tightly, but not too tightly, saying that she loved him too.

Off to the side, Hercule watched as Gohan's expression lit up at his daughter's words. He couldn't believe any of this. He hadn't felt like he had been gone that long, yet he returned and his daughter had a boyfriend and was already in love with him. Just what the hell had he been doing? He realized, in that moment, that his little girl had grown up, and he had missed it.

And here he thought he was doing right by her. Now, he just felt defeated. Something would have to change.

* * *

"Thank you, Miss Gure!" a student said before leaving his girlfriend's office. Tarble always enjoyed surprising Gure at work, especially because she was always busy helping out the students. He loved seeing her in that light. She wanted to help everyone, and she did her job well. He hadn't heard any student that left the office say anything negative. If anything, they always wore a smile, just like he did any time he was around the woman.

Now that Gure was alone, Tarble entered her office, and grinned at the woman. Her back was turned to the door as she was entering information into the computer system. She had no idea he was there. "Hey," he greeted warmly, making the woman jump before a laugh escaped her and she turned to face him.

"Tarble, you startled me," she chided, though she wore a loving smile. "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see you," the man admitted, taking a seat across from her. "I've missed you."

Her expression softened, and she reached out her hand which Tarble eagerly took. "I've missed you, too," she told him. "Sorry I've been so out of touch. It's just end of the year stuff. AP exams, students getting ready for college, not to mention all of the students that come by just to talk. I've barely had a minute to breathe."

"Sounds like you could use a break," Tarble offered kindly. "Would you want to join me later at Bulma's for a family dinner?"

Gure's eyes lit up. "I would love that," she replied honestly. "Then, maybe, you'd like to spend the night at my place?"

Surprise flickered in Tarble's eyes. It wasn't the first time he and Gure would stay the night together for they had shared a room and bed during the holidays. Still, Gure never voiced anything like that before, never asked for him to stay over with her. He smiled and nodded. "Sure. Your place is closer to work, anyway. We can do an early breakfast before we both have to be in."

"Sounds like a plan," Gure agreed. "Thank you."

Tarble stood up and walked over to his girlfriend. She gaped at him, eyeing him cautiously as he leaned down. He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek that made her suck in a surprised gasp, and then he pulled away, Gure leaning in expectantly. Her boyfriend grinned impishly at her. "I'll pick you up after work. See you later?"

"See you later," Gure responded dumbfounded. She watched Tarble leave before she grinned and chuckled at his antics. That man…what was she going to do with him?

* * *

News had travelled fast in the company once Bulma's design had been not only accepted by NASA, but funded. It happened overnight with no fanfare yet everyone at the company had found out the next day. Her colleagues had been supportive and impressed, and the board members had called a surprise meeting solely for the purpose of congratulating her. Both she and Vegeta were completely blindsided. The latter felt a bit unsettled, mainly because everyone had found out so quickly. It was already in the new, and Vegeta knew that it would mean another call from Frieza. He was not looking forward to that.

Meanwhile, Bulma needed to get everything ready. She went through all of her documents, notes, and blueprints, putting them all in a folder so that her team could see what exactly they were signing up to do. A knock on her door alerted her. She turned to see Launch standing there wearing a beaming smile. She must have heard the news, too. "Hey," Bulma greeted.

"Hi," Launch responded. "Can I come in?"

Bulma nodded. "Sure. I have to leave in a minute to start discussing some stuff with my research team, but I still have a little time."

Launch chuckled at that. "I'm sure you'll be very busy. I hear congratulations are in order. Your father would be extremely proud of what you've accomplished."

Forcing herself not to react, Bulma smiled, her voice even as she quietly uttered, "I know he's proud of me."

Immediately, Launch changed the conversation, pushing passed the awkwardness that always arose between the two of them when Trunks was brought into the mix. "How is Vegeta?" Bulma's brow quirked in confusion. "From a mom standpoint, not as an employee."

A nod was her answer before Bulma smiled. Launch could just hear how much Bulma loved the man in the tone of her voice. "He's doing well. He helped out a lot with mom's surprise party, and he and Trunks are bonding a lot more now."

"Wat about the two of you? Are you happy?" Launch questioned. She needed to know. Of course she had seen glimpses, but she needed to know her daughter, Trunks's daughter, was in good hands.

"I'm overjoyed," Bulma stated sincerely, a beaming smile lighting up her features. Her eyes sparkled as she thought of her boyfriend, or at least that's how Launch could see it. Her stepdaughter looked like a woman in love.

"Then I am happy for you," Launch assured her.

"As much as you are for Tarble and Gure?"

Launch nodded. "Yeah, my children are happy and in love, just like I was with your father." Bulma again didn't react or say anything. This time, though, she knew Launch was being sincere. She knew the woman had really loved her father. Their conversation became lighter, the two talking about Tarble and Gure and how they had come over for dinner the previous night, before Bulma had to leave. Trunks wasn't mentioned in the conversation again. It was really starting to seem like the two women were finally on the same page.

* * *

" _Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Mai~ Happy birthday to you!"_

Mai looked around the dining room, a bright smile on her face. If anyone had told her the previous year that she'd spend her sixteenth birthday surrounded by friends and loved ones with a birthday cake with no bruises or injuries, she would have told them that they were dreaming. Back then, she had given up all hope that she'd ever be free, or that she'd live long enough to be considered free. Yet here she was, Trunks sitting next to her, his arm loosely wrapped around her as he encouraged her to blow out the candles and make a wish. Mai did have one wish, to get passed this crazy PTSD. That's really all she wanted, now. Thankfully, she was doing quite a bit better.

After everyone had had their fill of cake, her friends were all very eager for her to open their presents. By this point in time, their entire group knew of her suffering. She had thankfully been with them all at home when she had a small breakdown. She ended up crying in her room for hours, Trunks coming to get her after a while saying everyone was worried about her and didn't want to leave until they saw her. She finally confided in them about her condition, and everyone had been supportive. Though it hadn't been a long time since they had found out, everyone made a point to visit or text her during the day, and they were all very excited to give her a sixteenth birthday she'd remember.

She wanted low key, so they abided by that, Videl invited everyone over to her large home that was a perfect place for a party. The teenagers watched movies while the parents talked in the kitchen. It was the first time they were all meeting Hercule, the father not having left since he returned from his last world tour.

From Valese, she had received a new sketchbook with a set of colored pencils and artist pens. She couldn't believe how much her friend had gotten her, but it came out later that she and Goten went in on it together. Gohan had gotten her a few mystery books to read after finding out by accident that she used to be really into detective books as a kid. She and her mother would read them all the time, though that part was a tidbit she had only shared with Trunks. Videl had gotten her a purple boom box and some CDs. Pilaf had gotten her some new items for her fish tank, and Bulma and Vegeta had bought her some new furniture that morning to fill up the other side of her room. She appreciated everything she was given, but her favorite gift of all was actually part of a set.

Trunks had pulled her aside earlier in the day, not wanting an audience when he gave her his gift. He had given her a promise ring, and actually he was already wearing one. It wasn't the ring, though, that Mai was over the moon for, though. It was the fact that Trunks had given her his full commitment. She had never doubted his loyalty and love for her, but for him to go so far as to get them both rings to symbolize that love…he had basically taken himself off the market. Sure, it wasn't the same as an engagement ring. Even then, either person could walk away at any time. But Trunks wouldn't, and that's why he was promising himself to her, and so she accepted the gift, promising herself to him in return.

She had thought that would be the best gift she would have received that day, but she had yet to be surprised. Marron had come to the part as well, giving her a gift from her and her parents that was appreciated, a set of bath salts to help the girl relax. But surprisingly enough, that gift had been a cover. She still had one more gift to receive from Juu, and it came in the form of a manila envelope.

On that day, her sixteenth year, she had been presented with her emancipation papers, the documentation that ensured her freedom.

Mai looked around the room, her expression quite dazed. It felt so surreal. She couldn't believe she was holding those papers. Trunks's laugh snapped her out of her stupor, the lavender-haired teen enveloping her form in a big hug. Tears escaped Mai as her smile returned. No other birthday would ever be able to top this one, she decided. She was really, truly free.


	46. Chapter 45

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

It's been a slow writing month for me, and I haven't gotten as much done as I would have liked, but hey, at least I got one more chapter out before the month ended. And what I had planned was running a little long, so now a couple of scenes have moved to next chapter. I hope you enjoy!

On a side note, I also wanted to thank all of you who reviewed the story to get the count up to 200. It means a lot :D

Anyway, onward!

* * *

Soon April had approached, March going by incredibly quickly as Bulma had been busy with her invention, Vegeta managing the company and staving off Frieza and reporters, and the kids studying like crazy for exams. It was hard to believe that Trunks's birthday was just around the corner.

Trunks couldn't have asked for a better year (well, aside from Zarbon going after Mai and spending a night in a prison cell). His mother was happy, finally letting her guard down around other more often. It was all in his mother's personal growth, but even the teenager could attribute it to Vegeta, his father figure. It was his first birthday where he actually had one of those. And he had Mai and his friends. Goten was healthier and less stressed. His grandmothers were getting along even if they would never be on the same page. Even his uncle was a lot happier now that he wasn't in a relationship with that Maron girl like he was the previous year. Trunks really hadn't liked her, but he had kept his opinion to himself for his uncle's sake. Everything was great.

Contrasting Mai's birthday, everyone was out at a fun center. Basically, any activity they could think of they could do in this place. The teens had been actively engaged in a highly competitive game of mini golf, and they went in pairs to race the go carts. The girls weren't as thrilled about that activity with their crazy boyfriend drivers. Of course, after that display, Mai had made the remark that she was terrified to get in an actual car with him if he'd drive like that. That had incited a questioning glance and some heatless scolding from his mother. "He better not drive like that when he gets his permit."

Trunks smiled sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, I couldn't if I wanted to. I mean, you aren't the easiest passenger to have mom…"

"What?" Bulma asked in shock. She knew of her tendency to be a nervous passenger. She had been for years, even before her father had been killed in a car crash. She hadn't realized her son picked up on it.

Apparently even Vegeta had picked up on it, for he readily declared, "He won't be driving like that ever, for I will be the one teaching Trunks how to drive."

Both the teen and his mother eyed Vegeta strangely, though his expression clearly meant that he was leaving no room for discussion. "You? But I thought your licensed expired."

"Got it renewed," Vegeta advertised with a shrug. "I knew something like this would come up when my mother gave him the care."

"But what about-" Vegeta looked to Bulma, stopping her from voicing her thought. She knew he wasn't too thrilled around cars himself, so why would he take this upon himself? Not that she wasn't relieved. She knew that if she taught Trunks she'd probably end up yelling the whole beginning or at least gasping while trying to trust her son, and that would make the boy even more nervous. Vegeta did a much better job of hiding his nerves or emotions. Maybe that was why he was making the suggestion. She wouldn't fight him on this. "Okay, then I leave it to you."

"Seriously, guys, I'm not going to drive like that," Trunks murmured, attempting to reassure everyone. He chuckled. "This was just all in good fun, and I won the race, didn't eye."

"I got carsick," Mai muttered before smiling, indicating her comment was in jest, though she wouldn't lie. She was glad when the ride was over because she didn't think she could go around another time without getting sick.

* * *

After a quick lunch, the teens were running around once again, this time playing laser tag. Even Bulma and Vegeta got in on the action, at first the group having a free for all where everyone had split up and were hidden in the darkness. There were some other groups in there creating noise and running about. Trunks actually found this exciting. An enemy could be anywhere.

Speaking of which, he was actually grabbed from behind, a hand covering his mouth as he was pulled under an alcove. He words were muffled against the hand, but he relaxed when he heard a familiar giggle and felt a pair of lips nipping at his ear. He released a quiet laugh against the hand, finally being released so he could turn and face his playful girlfriend. Her eyes were shimmering in the laser light, her smile putting him at ease. "Mai…"

"Sh," she whispered, trapping him against the wall of the alcove. She pressed her lips to his, kissing him slowly, thought Trunks was very eager. He kissed her back fervently, gently changing their positions so that her back was against the wall and he was pressed against her. She didn't mind the change in position. Besides, being with Trunks just felt so good. He pulled away, leaning his forehead against hers, and closed his eyes. "Happy Birthday," she breathed against his lips. Trunks smiled, reflecting on the past few weeks. Mai had been acting like her old self, lately, more confident and less frightened. The terapy and medication had been helping her a lot, and the two of them had had many playful, peaceful moments like this one. He really could just stay like that with her forever. In that moment, that was all he wanted.

Moments later, though, they could both feel Trunks's vest shaking. Apparently, they had been caught, and they could hear Goten laughing in the distance. "No fair!" Trunks called out.

"What's not fair is that you were making out with your girlfriend when we're in the middle of a game," his best friend taunted.

Trunks pouted, but he mentally swore vengeance on Goten. He was about to chase after him, readying his gun, when his vest started vibrating again. He turned to see Mai smiling impishly at him. "Mai? Really?" he asked, his voice sounding completely betrayed.

"Well, I'm sorry, but it was just too easy," she teased, moving to kiss him on the nose. "Besides, we're all on our own sides."

"Not anymore," Videl called out loudly. "I say girls versus guys. That should level the playing field."

"I'm game," Trunks could hear his mother call out. He also heard Vegeta growl from another location.

He chuckled. "Yeah, fine," Trunks agreed. "On one condition. Don't you all shoot me when I can move again. We'll all meet up with our groups and devise a strategy."

"Deal," Mai agreed. As much as she would have wanted to drive Trunks crazy by repeatedly shooting him and freezing him, she didn't want to overdo it. Besides, Videl's proposal sounded fun. A little friendly competition couldn't hurt anyone.

* * *

After the laser tag battle, which surprisingly ended in a draw between the two teams, the teenagers ran for the arcade, Bulma and Vegeta following closely behind. Bulma had to admit that it was nice to see the kids having so much fun given the crazy year they had had. To be honest, she needed a day like today. She had always been a kid at heart, plus it was nice to see Vegeta getting into the festivities. Apparently, he had never done anything like this in the past, so he was a bit reserved. She enjoyed getting him to venture out of his shell.

The two of them were playing ski ball side by side, Vegeta shaking his head when Bulma's score kept increasing immensely. Though she was nowhere close to a perfect score, her score was much higher than his. He couldn't help but chuckle at the woman. "Do I even want to know how you got so good at this?"

Bulma smirked, a cheery air about her. "Well, to be honest, I love arcades," she admitted. "Had a couple of birthday parties at a place like this, much smaller, that closed. But Goku and I used to go to them, and I brought Trunks to a bunch throughout his life. This just happens to be my favorite game, so I've played it more times than I can count. Truth be told, though, as a kid I sucked at this game."

Vegeta couldn't help but laugh at her claim. "Practice makes perfect."

"Ah, ah," she chided. "Practice makes better. There's no such thing as perfect, right?"

Vegeta openly gawped at the woman, his eyes widening for a fraction of a second before his expression became serious. A tense silence washed over them before Bulma sighed and said, "What's on your mind?"

"I've never heard you use that expression before," Vegeta remarked.

Bulma nodded. "I used to tell that to Trunks. I spent my whole life believing the practice makes perfect thing, and I never thought much on it until I said it one time in grad school. Being a perfectionist, trying to win my father's approval…in grad school my father was gone, but my perfectionism still lingered, and I heard the word and it struck a chord, so I decided then I wouldn't say 'practice makes perfect anymore.' We're not meant to be perfect, just the best we can be in any given moment, so practice doesn't make perfect, it makes better."

A soft smirk appeared on Vegeta's face as he inserted coins in both their machines to start a new game. "Trunks is very lucky to have had a mother like you," he told her, his voice warm and sincere. "I would have killed for that to be the mentality my parents shared."

A sad smile graced Bulma's features, but she pushed away the sadness she and Vegeta must both be feeling and picked up one of the wooden balls. "You ready for another round?"

Vegeta laughed. "Always."

* * *

Meanwhile, Trunks was playing a fighting game with Goten, the two hitting buttons rapidly without concession. The two were actually both fighting strong, many onlookers deciding to watch and cheer the boys on. The match ended in a draw, both teens surprisingly exhausted by the end of it, and the people watching moving on to the next thing that interested them. Goten laughed and shook his head. "Now that was fun. We haven't played one of these old-school games in a while."

Trunks agreed. They hadn't really been to an arcade in a while either. The last time had been years ago, and the lavender-haired teen frowned. "Yeah, we need to do stuff like this more often," he stated. Goten didn't understand why his friend's voice became so solemn. "Sorry I've been sort of MIA lately."

"MIA? Trunks, you haven't been MIA," Goten returned as the two headed to the next game of interest. "If anything, I have been, but that's because I've been spending a lot of my time with Valese lately." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Come to think of it, I've been in my own little world, I hadn't realized that we haven't been talking as much. That's my bad, not yours. Besides, you've been dealing with Mai."

His friend nodded but still wasn't satisfied. "I just don't want you to feel like you can't talk to me if something's bothering you," Trunks offered, and Goten now understood where it was all coming from and chuckled. "What?"

"Trunks, I've been okay," Goten assured him, grinning proudly. "I've been more than okay. Me not calling hasn't been because I thought I couldn't talk to you. I've just been focused on a new relationship. But I'm okay. The medicine has been working. I haven't missed a single dose, and I'm happy. Valese…she's something else. I've been confiding in her all the stuff I used to just tell you, and she accepts me anyway. I just feel bad because even though we've done some stuff, we haven't had any of our long talks lately, and maybe that's why you're thinking like this. And don't think I'm trying to say I don't need you or anything either. I do, I've just had my head in the clouds."

Trunks smiled and shook his head. "That's a good thing, Ten. And I'm relieved to hear it. You really had me worried before." Goten's expression sobered. Trunks and him really hadn't talked much about that day, mainly because Goten was trying to forget how stupid he had been. He and Valese had talked about it and it always ended up with her crying. With him and Trunks, he had accepts Trunks's text after that day as their discussion. He never thought that it would still be bothering his friend.

"I'm sorry," Goten apologized, earning Trunks's surprised attention. "I knew you were worried, but I thought you had let it go. I didn't even consider you'd still be thinking about it."

"Of course I would," Trunks breathed out. "Goten, you're my best friend, my brother, and I really thought I was going to lose you that day."

"I did too, to be honest, but I'm okay now," Goten attempted to reassure his friend. "Really, and if I have another episode like that, you'll be the first to know, and not at the last minute where I'm as far gone as I was. I promise." Trunks didn't say anything else, but he nodded. The silence between them became a bit crippling, and Goten didn't like it. "Okay, what's wrong?"

Trunks sighed. "Nothing…well…a lot of things, but nothing I should let affect me today. I've just been a little overwhelmed."

Goten could understand. "Mai?"

"Yeah…" Trunks stated. "She has her good days, thankfully more than bad days now that she's free, but she's still having trouble. She hides it well, but every night it's the same. She's terrified of when Zarbon will be released, and then she gets mad at herself for not being able to get over it. The meds are helping her anxiety, but it only can do so much. Today, she's been keeping the cheer because it's my birthday and all, but I don't know…I was just thinking about you and then her, and I just wish I could take all of it away from both of you so you didn't have to depend on medication." Goten couldn't help but smile and chuckle. "What?"

"You're funny, you know that?" Goten teased. "Only you could be worrying about the world on your birthday. I won't speak for Mai, but I'm sure if she heard you say that she'd want to kick your ass like I do. We're fine, Trunks, and we will be, even on the medication. Sure, we may get stressed or anxious, but we both have you. And that's why we're 'keeping cheer' today. Because we're celebrating the fact that we have you. So don't even think about our issues or anything today and go fucking whack a mole."

Trunks blinked and realized Goten had brought him to one of their favorite childhood games. He couldn't help but laugh at himself. He was being ridiculous. He knew Goten was right. He didn't have to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, and life for all of them was pretty great at the moment. They would face plenty of challenges in the future, but they were a family. They'd do it together. Right now, they just needed to enjoy the moment's peace and have fun. He picked up the mallet. "Let's see if we're as good at this game as we were as kids."

* * *

The rest of the day had been peaceful, the teens practically ransacking the arcade with their multitude of tickets before everyone had to return home. Goten promised Trunks that the next day they'd do something because he did actually want to talk to him about some stuff. They had an exchange no one else understood about not thinking too much, Trunks shaking his head when Mai asked him and telling her not to worry about it. They returned home and had a relaxing, low key evening. Mai and Trunks turned in early, the two having been spending more nights together lately. That left Bulma and Vegeta to their own devices, and they too chose to head to their bedroom. Bulma put on a television show, and the two just held each other, their forms melting into one another. Bulma sighed in contentment.

"This was exactly what I needed," she murmured against Vegeta's chest.

Her boyfriend shook, concealing his amused chuckle. "And what exactly is this thing that you needed?"

Bulma shrugged, her action moving her away from Vegeta slightly, so her grip tightened on him. "Just this, being here with you, relaxed like this. I could get used to this."

Vegeta regarded the woman, looking down upon her serene face. She was so beautiful, and she really did look completely at peace. It was a far cry from the woman she was months ago, fearing that he'd leave her or get angry with her over small things. After a long day at the office, they would usually end up like this, just lying in each other's arms and allowing the silence and warmth to envelop them. Vegeta too had been thinking he could get used to this. It made being at the company more bearable knowing he'd be coming home to his loving woman. His…woman.

"Bulma," he spoke out after a revelation hit him. "Have you given the future…our future…any thought?"

The woman was surprised by the question, but only slightly, mainly because Vegeta was the one asking. She had also wondered about the future, her mind picturing only a world where she and Vegeta were together, but she hadn't wanted to be the one to broach the topic. She thought that she would come off as insecure, but honestly she was just curious to know what Vegeta thought. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to actually have this conversation. She answered with a nervous but cheerful giggle. "I guess we really never talked about it," she admitted. "I was a little nervous to broach the subject."

"Why is that?" Vegeta questioned, nuzzling his nose in the crook of her neck. "I wouldn't have shot down the discussion."

"I just didn't know if we both stood on the same ground," she replied in a whisper. "I mean…I assume we are, but it's always hard to tell, and I worried that maybe I was thinking further ahead than you were."

"And let me guess," Vegeta murmured, "you've thought about having the conversation a million times instead of actually having it." Bulma could tell by the rumble of his chest and his smooth tone that Vegeta felt completely amused. She blushed but knew he couldn't see it. "You think too much, woman. You need to do more."

"Ugh, you sound like my mother," Bulma clipped before she smiled up at him. "I know I do. It's in my programming. I've tried, Vegeta, so much to not think about stuff, but sometimes I can't help it. Besides, I really like how things have been going and I don't want to wreck it."

"First off, you can't wreck anything," Vegeta huffed, lightly flicking her head. She frowned slightly at him, and he couldn't help but find her pout cute. He honestly wanted to kiss it off her face, but they were in the middle of a conversation he had been wanting to have for a while. "In case you haven't noticed, I live here. I've told you how I feel about you. I even accept your son as my own. Do you honestly think I plan on leaving, ever? I knew what I was getting into the day I met you at the club."

"I know," Bulma stated. "And I have no intention of ending what we have either. Just…well, you're the one who asked. To answer your question, yes, I've thought about our future a thousand times over. I just didn't know what you wanted. Either way I'd be happy, if we stayed just like this or if you wanted to get married or not. I just didn't want you to think, if I would have brought it up, that I wanted to rush into marriage or anything."

"I wouldn't have assumed that," Vegeta told her, "like you seem to be."

"Sorry," she lightly replied. "So…on my end, I can tell you I'm fully open to anything. Since you asked the question…why don't you tell me what's on your mind? Your thoughts."

Vegeta nodded and sat up, Bulma following suit. "My thoughts," he spoke quietly as if he were confessing a darker secret. Knowing Vegeta, he probably was. "My thoughts used to be different. I used to want to have that dreamlike life filled with marriage and family, the kind of life that did not exist in my own home. Then I wanted none of it. I did not lead the best life, and I did not want to be with anyone." His dark eyes met blue as her continued, relieved that Bulma was listening patiently instead of looking offended. "And then I met you, and my life has been much different than I ever anticipated. Life has always been a shit storm for me, but being with you has made it easier. You keep me centered even when I want to tear something apart. You invited me into your home to be a part of a real family, and you've encouraged me to repair whatever bond I had left with my mother. My life has been turned upside-down because of you, and I don't regret any of it."

Bulma smiled as Vegeta said all of this to her. She felt the same way. Vegeta had put up with a lot with her, and he comforted her when she was anxious or down. He defended her to her stepmother when she never even asked him to do so, and he accepted all of the facets of her life including her close friendship with Goku and, more importantly, her baby boy. He had gotten her through so much, been her rock when Trunks had run away and when Goten had been missing. He took over for her during the time Trunks had been accused of assaulting Mai, and he had done everything to protect both teenagers. She could have handled it alone, would have if she had to, but it was nice and surreal to be able to lean on someone and also be there for them in return. They weren't just lovers. They were partners, a family as he had stated, and Bulma knew she would do anything for the man who shared her bed and life. "I feel the same, Vegeta," she responded warmly, moving to kiss her boyfriend's lips.

He returned the heated kiss, but pulled away. He wasn't done yet. "All of those things I wanted in the past…" he started nervously, as if what he was about to say would change everything. "I still want it. All of it. Marriage, family, a life where we aren't trying to screw each other over…everything I didn't grow up with…everything I wanted with…her."

A hand squeezed his shoulder in comfort. "You don't have to rush it," she assured him. "When you do ask me, I want you to know I'll say 'yes.' For now, if you need more time to heal, I understand. It's a big step for both of us to want all of that for our future. I'll be honest, anything you want. As long as I'm with you, I'll be happy."

"Bulma…" Vegeta breathed out, taking the woman in his arms once again. Bulma pressed her nose against his, their foreheads joined. "I love you."

Vegeta had only ever verbalized his confession once a while back when they were in bed, and he had not uttered the words since. Bulma knew, though, by all his actions. She was not the kind of woman to put weight on words given how her father had always said he was proud of her and lover her one minute and then tormented her the next using hateful words and lies. Though it was how he felt, Vegeta struggled to say the words, and so she had made sure he knew he didn't have to say them when she did, as long as he didn't stop her from saying them. He would always return the words with a passionate kiss, letting her know he heard and he felt, but he just couldn't say. This time was like the others, no prompting, and yet he said them so freely and steadfast. Her lips quirked, but she tempered her reaction. "I love you, too, Vegeta."

Bulma was swept up flushed against Vegeta, his hands gently caressing her as they returned to their lounging positions. His hand gently traced circles against her skin until they both drifted off. Bulma reached over him for the remote to shut off the television. She nestled herself comfortable against Vegeta and whispered, "I'm glad we had this talk."

Truthfully, Vegeta was too. When he made the realization that he thought of her as his, he came to terms with the fact that he didn't ever want to let her go. It didn't surprise him that she had been thinking about their future so far ahead. He definitely wanted to be with her for the rest of his life. All along the way his mind had been trying to tell him that. Now, at least he knew they were on the same page. Though she didn't expect it, Bulma still wanted to get married. She had said he didn't have to rush, but honestly he felt he wasn't moving fast enough. He wanted her, wanted to be with her, and he would be making his move soon enough. There was just one thing he wanted to do first.

* * *

He got in the car and closed the door, the driver beside him taking a deep breath before timidly asking, "You're sure about this?"

Stern as ever, Vegeta crossed his arms and looked to the lavender-haired teen he had accepted as his son. "Trunks, did I not say that I would be the one teaching you to drive?"

Trunks chuckled a bit and nodded. "You did, but I don't know. I figured we'd start next week, not the next day." Truthfully, Trunks had been shocked when Vegeta had come into Mai's room that morning, careful not to wake his sleeping girlfriend, but pulling Trunks out of bed for the morning. It had startled the teen when Vegeta got him to his room and told him to get dressed and to meet him down by the car. Trunks had gawped at the man, unsure as to what was happening, but he went along with it. After all, he had no intention of squandering any bonding time with his father.

"No time like the present," Vegeta grunted, crossing his arms. "What do you already know about driving a car?"

"Well, I know how to start the car," Trunks stated. "Mom taught me how to do that when I was younger, so that if she was still stuck getting ready for work, I would be able to get the car to warm up, and then she'd take me to the bus stop. She also taught me how to use the emergency brake and put the car in neutral, just in case, and how to use the hazards. Other than that, I've just watched people drive."

Vegeta nodded. "Good start. Gas pedal right, brake left," Vegeta explained. "I'm sure you know what the other things mean on the gearshift, correct?" Trunks nodded affirmatively. "So, to start, you need to pull out of this space, which means you need to drive in reverse. Keep the wheel straight until you've cleared the cars on either side of us and then turn the wheel in the direction you want the car to go. Use the rearview and side mirrors to make sure there aren't any people behind us and to avoid going back to far or hitting a tree or something."

"Got it," Trunks replied, taking a deep breath before he did the maneuvers Vegeta had given. He followed the instructions well inching very slowly. Vegeta was actually surprised that Trunks wasn't gunning it, but given how his grandfather died and how his mother was around cars, he took it more seriously as he did the go-carts, as he should. "Where to, now?" the boy asked, the car once again in park.

"Put the car in drive and head out of the development. Make a left at the end of the road," Vegeta stated. "We're heading to the mall."

Trunks seemed surprised. "We're not heading to an empty parking lot?"

Vegeta shook his head. "It's better you get real world experience. You already seem to have a hang of the basics. If it's too much for you, I'll take over."

"I'll be fine," Trunks said confidently. Vegeta believed him.

* * *

The drive to the mall was pretty uneventful. Vegeta instructed Trunks at every turn, telling him when to drive out a little further and how to read when the lights would change. It was early enough in the day that there weren't many people on the roads. Trunks now understood why Vegeta had gotten him up so early. He learned more than he would have in a parking lot, and yet there weren't many people that he needed to worry about. He could focus on the lessons.

Since it was so early, the mall still had a little bit of time before opening, though some of the restaurants there were open. Vegeta opted to take Trunks for breakfast. He had done a good job getting them there and seemed to be a natural when it came to driving while still being wary and not getting overconfident. The teenager had earned some down time, and, though he was focused on driving the whole way there, he had still asked what they were going to the mall for. Vegeta rarely joined them on their mall trips unless asked to go or if they were going for lunch or dinner. He rarely prompted one of their mall outings. He had to keep Trunks's attention on other things for he didn't wish to announce his plans just yet.

Trunks realized he wasn't going to get anywhere asking Vegeta a whole bunch of questions, so he eventually changed the subject and thanked the man for teaching him how to drive and for an already good weekend morning. Vegeta could never get over how easy it was to please Trunks, and though he felt as if some of the admiration was unearned, he was starting to fully accept it. "The day isn't over yet," Vegeta informed the teenager. "In fact, maybe you can return the favor and help me out with something."

The teenager blinked at the man, a bit confused, before he went along with it and grinned. "Yeah, sure, whatever you need. But, what could I possibly help you with?"

Vegeta hailed the waiter for the check and cryptically answered, "You'll see."

The whole mall was open by the time the two men finished their breakfast, and Trunks was ever curious about what Vegeta had in mind for their day. He still couldn't figure out why Vegeta could possibly require his assistance, but he was determined to find out. When they reached a jewelry store, Trunks's head whipped around to regard Vegeta with his mystified gaze. "Dad…what are we…?"

Though Vegeta was determined and focused on the task at hand, he grew nervous as the teenaged boy put two and two together. Somehow, the words could not leave him. It was the strangest and most powerful feeling he had felt in a while, his form becoming rigid and tense. He took many decisive steps, prompting Trunks to shrug and follow him in. He hoped that once inside, he could overcome the force that stole his voice, or at least silently coax Trunks into understanding his intent.

They were greeted by an overly perky clerk. "Ah, good morning to you both," the white-haired man greeted. Vegeta was actually taken aback by how close the gentleman got to him. "What brings you to my shop?"

Vegeta took a step back and cleared his throat before glancing at the clerk's nametag. "Good morning, Whis," he returned sternly. "My son and I are here for something special." Trunks glanced over at Vegeta, his attention being taken away from a nice jewelry set he thought Mai would like. "We would like to see a selection of your engagement rings."

Trunks felt everything around him stop as he gazed at the man in amazement. "For real? Seriously?" he got out before he beamed at a slightly blushing Vegeta.

The flame-haired man nodded before smirking. "Yes," he replied. "Would you be willing to help me pick out something for your mother?"

"Are you kidding?" Trunks returned enthusiastically, his eagerness shining through. "Absolutely!"

The store clerk, Whis, laughed at the antics of this father and son pair that entered his shop. He brought their attention back to their task at hand, directing them to his selection of rings. Surprisingly, it didn't take them long to find what they were looking for, and Whis was happy to see that beautiful piece go. He rang them up and sent them on their way.

* * *

On the drive back to the apartment, now with more cars on the road, Trunks, though focused on the road, was feeling completely giddy. He couldn't believe he had just helped Vegeta pick out an engagement ring for his mother. She was going to be so happy. Of course, until Vegeta was ready to pop the question, Trunks would have to remain quiet and stoic, so Vegeta didn't mind the unbridled joy now as long as the teen would dial it down later.

"So how long have you been thinking of asking mom to marry you?" the teenager asked.

Vegeta thought on the question for a moment before shaking his head. "To be honest, I've forgotten," he admitted. "It's been a long time, probably even sometime before the conference, maybe even towards the beginnings of our relationship."

Trunks's eyes widened comically. "That long? Why just now?"

"I know we're on the same page," Vegeta stated. "I didn't want to rush things. Both your mother and I have been content with the pace of our relationship. I didn't want to jump the gun. But I love your mother, Trunks, with all of my heart. You know what happened to me in high school." Trunks's grip tightening on the wheel indicated that he remembered fully, and he unknowingly slowed down a bit under the speed limit, subconsciously growing cautious. "I never thought I'd feel that way again, thought it best to keep my distance from everyone. I was practically a ghost living my own life, going through the motions. You have no idea how happy you both have made me, accepting me into your home, life, and family. As much as it irritates me to say this, I knew where your mother was coming from because I myself experienced that side of both of my parents. I never felt like part of a family, like I belonged anywhere, not until her, and not until you."

Trunks smiled at that. "We're happy you're a part of our family," he told the man before chuckling. "Obvious reasons for me aside. Mom never dated anyone throughout my childhood. Sure, guys would ask her out, but any time I showed up beside her, they'd back off." He frowned, brows furrowing as he thought about it. "I always thought I was the reason mom couldn't be with someone and that hurt."

"You were never the reason," Vegeta assured him. "Those men were looking for one thing, something that your presence warned them not to try. They weren't responsible, and they most likely weren't looking for anything permanent."

"Were you?" Trunks questioned.

Vegeta shook his head. "I didn't know what I was looking for," he explained. "I wasn't opposed to it, but I didn't know if I could bridge that gap that was left when I lost Ella and left my parents to live on my own. I didn't know if the scars would heal and disappear or if I'd be haunted at every turn. My memories will never go away, but it's not as disheartening as it once was, because your mother was so understanding and patient. I am thankful that she has shown me new ways to live and new ways to think. It makes life much easier. There's still much I need to work on."

"We all do, right?" Trunks responded, grinning. "And you know, to be honest, I'm glad that you guys got so much closer. I can't see mom with anyone else but you. I guess that's why I look up to you so much. I'm really happy you brought me with you, and I'm over the moon about this. But I promise, even from Mai, I'll keep quiet. It'll be a secret between men."

The romanticized ideology the teenager possessed knew no bounds, and Vegeta chuckled with mirth, agreeing. In a way, he felt closer to the boy just knowing he had him in his corner. "Yeah, sure, son. A secret between men."


	47. Chapter 46

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

Though the night had been peaceful, the sound of Vegeta's ringtone jolted him and Bulma awake, the woman mumbling something incoherent in her sleep and turning over making her boyfriend chuckle. He glanced at the clock, seeing that it was the middle of the night. Who would be calling him at such a bizarre hour? He glanced at the caller I.D. and gawped in surprise and slight concern. It was his mother.

He hit the button to accept the call and groggily grumbled into the phone. "What is it?"

Both Vegeta and his mother overheard Bulma tiredly mumble, "Who is it?"

Kalina had to fight back a giggle when she heard her son breathe out, "My mother. Go back to sleep, woman." Bulma replied with a sleepy "okay." She couldn't help but be enchanted by how her son and Bulma were together, even in these normal moments.

She of course started rambling about that to Vegeta who simply pulled his phone back and glared at the device confusedly. The woman went on and on about her relationship with his father, the past, and even started talking about the house. Being so damn early, Vegeta could hardly follow his mother's train of thought or process the information. _"And you know, there are just so many rooms, too many,"_ Kalina continued to say. _"I can't even begin to tell you how much stuff your father and I accumulated over the course of our marriage. After his death, I just couldn't even go through it all."_

"Mother, it is two o'clock in the morning," Vegeta huffed irritably. "Get to the point or I'm hanging up." She chuckled, and Vegeta grimaced and buried his head against his pillow.

" _Vegeta, I want to downsize,"_ she finally stated, her voice serious. She didn't know it, but that caught Vegeta's attention. _"I want to go through everything we had and see what could be sold or donated, and I want to sell the mansion and move into a smaller home, maybe one closer to you guys?"_ Vegeta still had yet to say anything, but he didn't scoff at that idea. _"And…I was wondering if maybe you and your friends would be able to help me start, maybe this weekend?"_

Vegeta swallowed thickly, emotion seizing his body as he griped the phone tightly. His eyes widened for a fraction of a second before they clenched shut. He hadn't set foot in that house for decades. Thinking about going back...it felt like pure torture. "I need to think about it." He hung up right after he said that.

Bulma turned over in bed, wrapping her arms around him as he set the phone down, her cheek pressed against his back. She could tell from his rigidity and the tone of his voice that something was bothering him. "What's wrong?" she breathed softly against him.

"It's nothing," Vegeta clipped, but he did place his hand over hers on his abdomen. "Go back to sleep."

A sigh escaped his girlfriend, probably because she didn't believe him but didn't have the wherewithal to question him further. He'd discuss it during the normal morning hours. For now, he needed to get himself back to sleepy, and thankfully Bulma's soft breaths made it all the easier.

* * *

The next few days passed by quickly, the weekend coming up before anyone knew it. After Vegeta had spoken with Bulma the morning after his mother had called him, she had expressed that it might be good for him to get some closure. She knew only bits and pieces of what her stepmother went through, not able to go through all of her father's things. Launch's house had flooded multiple times, and unfortunately she had had to part with a few of her father's things. The house maintenance became too much, and though she had loved their home, she needed to move on. Bulma had found out over social media that her stepmother had moved out of the house. All that bothered Bulma was finding out that way. She was all for never having to set foot in that place ever again despite her few fond memories.

Bulma suggested that his mother, despite his father being gone for a while, could not get over his death. Vegeta reminded himself that it hadn't been long since his father passed, maybe a little over a year. Where he was detached, focusing more on the company and his relationship with Bulma and Trunks, his mother had been a grieving widow, desperately trying to reconnect with her only son. He tried to ignore the guilt that came along with that thought. He leaned more towards going, knowing that he could get much more work done at the house than his mother, and Bulma had already told him she would be there with him. He had put a call into Raditz and her into Goku to get a couple pairs of extra hands, but that was it. Vegeta didn't want the kids there to witness whatever emotional moment he could potentially have there.

So when Saturday approached, the Trunks and Mai went off for a day out, and Vegeta and Bulma picked up the brothers. Vegeta drove them across the city, a good distance from their homes, and they eventually hit the uptown district. The mansion Vegeta brought them was huge, gated, and not the most inviting place, proven again when Vegeta got up to the gate and pressed a button outside. _"Ouji residence,"_ a foreign voice spoke over speaker. _"Whom are you here to see?"_

"Salza," Vegeta greeted gruffly. "It's Vegeta."

A laugh rang out. _"Pleasant as always, sir,"_ Salza replied. _"I will open the gate for you."_

"Whatever."

It sounded like the speaker clicked, and then a buzz rang out, the gate opening up for Vegeta to drive in. Bulma, Goku, and Raditz were in awe over everything so far, but Bulma was the one who looked to Vegeta in concern. Had this been a commonplace occurrence when he was just a boy? It did not fit the man she knew at all.

Vegeta parked the car, his mother coming out to greet all of them. She beamed brightly at Vegeta making him feel uncomfortable. He just wanted to get this over with.

"Thank you all for coming to help me," Kalina politely uttered, and Vegeta could tell the woman was forcing herself to hold it together. "I cannot tell you how much this helps me."

"It's not a problem, ma'am," Goku replied. Then he rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I just hope we can get a bunch done, but I'm not sure. The place just looks gigantic."

"Goku," Raditz huffed, "manners."

"Oops, sorry…"

Kalina laughed lightly, genuinely. Vegeta perked up a bit. He didn't think he had heard her laugh that way even since they started communicating again. He realized that maybe this really was a huge deal to her, and that any help was appreciated, especially his. She looked like she was about to break at any moment. "It's quite all right," she chimed. "As I was saying to Vegeta the other night, it really is too big a place for just me…or two or three people at that."

"Speaking of which," Vegeta grunted, his arms crossed, "what in God's name possessed you to call me about this at two in the morning? Did you just decide on a whim?"

His mother smiled sadly and shook her head. "Honestly, it had been bothering me for a while. I would look around and feel like I was being swallowed up. Even worse, I just felt haunted, being in certain rooms. Though we had many good memories, we also had many bad ones, and I could visualize which spots your father and I stood." She shook her head, trying to stave off an emotional outburst. "It was just too much for me. I had wanted to go through some of your father's belongings, but I just couldn't bring myself to part with any of it, or I'd have a small breakdown and the maid would find me curled up somewhere sobbing. I…I needed help."

Vegeta was stunned that his mother was being so open about her emotions in front of his and Bulma's friends no less. He knew they had all met numerous times by now, but it still took him for a loop. His mother was never this open, except with her anger that was always directed toward him. No, he couldn't think about that now, and he shook his head to rid himself of any negativity for the moment. He needed his wits about him if he was going to be of any help with this. "Just tell us what you need us to do, and we'll get started."

The smile his mother gave him twisted his insides considerably.

* * *

Everyone was hard at work, Raditz and Goku putting books from the study into boxes to be donated to the local library, and Bulma working on packing away aesthetic décor items that Vegeta's mother held little attachment. Those would be sold at auction, the truck coming to pick them up in a few days. Vegeta had gone to his mother's and father's room to go through the man's clothing. His mother had been going through her own, not wanting to keep certain gowns and outfits from her younger days, but she had started crying remembering many conferences, dates, and dances. Vegeta had sent her down to the kitchen for lemonade. The maids would take care of her while Vegeta finished up bagging all of his father's old suits.

Even in the bedroom, his father had a desk. His mother told him earlier that when his father had been at the peak of illness, he still wanted to work to maintain his company and so he had set up a mini office in their room. He could not stray far from bed. In the drawer, Vegeta had found many papers and documents, and he even found his father's old cufflinks. Raw emotion settled over Vegeta as he sat down and observed the golden objects, his thumb rubbing over the family crest.

He set the cufflinks aside, moving to read the documents to see if they were anything important. If not, it made no sense to bother his mother with more of it. If he could empty this thing, he and the guys could get it downstairs for the auctioneer. It was a beautifully carved mahogany table. His mother could get some decent money from them.

Most of the documents were nothing, old business deals that had been brought to completion and closed. Vegeta had all of that information back at the company, she he tossed the documents in the nearby shredder. As he went through more of the papers, his hands stopped on a colorful pamphlet, his brow furrowed curiously. There were children plastered all over it. _What is this? An adoption agency?_ Questions fired off in his head.

"He would want you to have them." His mother's voice came out of nowhere. Vegeta jumped and looked back to see the woman motioning to the cufflinks. "I think you should take them."

Vegeta ignored her and held up the paperwork. "Mother, what the hell is this? Why did father have adoption crap in his desk?" His mother, once again, flashed a sad smile. She had known about it, he determined.

Kalina sighed and went to sit on the bed. She patted a spot next to her, Vegeta reluctant to join but doing so anyway for her benefit and for his curiosity. "Please do not be offended," she pleaded, her voice fearful, as if she feared her telling him about it would set him off and send him away. "Your father and I…after we found our way back to each other, we still felt so empty. We knew that this was because we no longer had you. I had some…complications. We could no longer have children, so we both had thought about the possibility of adopting a child."

She looked to Vegeta, her wary eyes meeting his hardened ones. "It was years after you left us, Vegeta. We weren't really trying to replace you. Actually, we ended up not going through with it because we knew that it would just be us trying to make up for what we put you through. We still held the hope that you'd return, and we feared that it would just push you away if you found us treating some other child the way we should have you. It wasn't fair to you, and it was selfish of us to think we could absolve ourselves from our cruelty towards you.

"We couldn't replace you in our hearts, Vegeta," Kalina spoke firmly. "We both loved you so much." Tears started to form in his mother's eyes, and Vegeta had to look away. He couldn't watch that anymore. He had bad memories of his mother's tears. "Adopting another child felt wrong, and I guess your father just tossed the stuff in the drawer. It doesn't matter now, though." Kalina stood up to walk over to the desk. She looked at the brochure again and picked it up. She glanced over at Vegeta and grinned through her sadness. "I think it's time we put the past behind us. That is what this is all about, right?"

Vegeta didn't know what to say, so he just nodded. Every time he heard more about his parents in the time he was away, he couldn't help but feel a painful stab in his chest. It wasn't guilt. He knew that there was no need for him to feel that way. Still, part of him was starting to feel disappointment, disappointment with them for being the way they were with him causing him to never want to look back and disappointed with himself for never returning. His father died with the hope that his son would return, and yet he hadn't been there. He hadn't been there when the man suffered, and he hadn't been there for his overwhelmed mother either. In a way, he once again felt like he failed in some way, but he knew it was not his fault. He was torn.

"Sweetie, are you all right?" Kalina asked, noticing Vegeta's silence.

He stood up and nodded again. "I need some air," he told her. "The desk is almost empty, just some pens and such. I think you can handle that. Get Goku and Raditz to move it downstairs."

Kalina watched as her son walked away, her empathetic smile never leaving her features. She knew it would be a lot for him, also, but she had to let him have this. Vegeta could never have closure with the man, so she thought maybe this would give him closure, to say goodbye to the old home where he had grown up. She hoped that it would ease his pain in some way, and she knew that he was only thinking of her the entire time as well. He was a good son, better than she deserved. She would not squander that ever again. "Vegeta…" He froze at the door. "Thank you for packing away all of his clothes. I appreciate it." Her son did not respond and walked out of the room.

There was no way Vegeta could just brush past everything he had just heard. The man prided himself once before on always having control over his emotions and thoughts, and now he just felt jumbled and could not form one coherent thought. His mother had spoken with such honesty. He knew. Even when the woman was a bitch to him, she never once lied. There was no reason to start now that she had already been given access to his life once again.

His parents had been thinking of adopting. There was nothing wrong with that. Actually, since the idea was in his head, it didn't seem like a bad thing. Part of him caught himself wondering time to time what it would be like to adopt with Bulma. He didn't have the experience she had with Trunks, and she could no longer have children. He wouldn't mind broaching the subject in the future. Bulma had told him she always wanted more children, after all.

Still, his mind was reeling over what his mother had said. It wouldn't be fair to _him?_ That's why they never even tried. They wanted their son back. His father, the one who always talked to him as if he were nothing but an heir to take over when he was gone, who needed nothing and no one else for so long, he could have just gotten some other kid to raise the right way and encourage that kid to take over. He didn't need Vegeta, and yet he never did it because of him. He looked at the box he had stealthily taken. _"He would want you to have them."_ Vegeta gripped it tight, his fist growing white. He had thought these emotions were gone. Why did they have to resurface now?

"Hey, Vegeta," Bulma called out softly, gaining his attention. She was looking around and shaking her head, a sheepish smile on her face. "I got lost," she admitted. "I was in the linen closet folding some sheets and towels and then I went to get something to drink and couldn't find my way again." Vegeta didn't make a sound, not even a chuckle like she expected. "Hun, are you okay?"

Vegeta attempted to shake off his thoughts of his parents and try to focus on other things, like the idea that had taken root regarding him and Bulma. Staring at his blue-haired lover, he could see a fleeting picture of what that would be like. He let that sink in, allowing the woman to unknowingly center him. He reached out for her to pull her against him for a hug.

"What's wrong?" Bulma asked him in a whisper, running her fingers through his mane. "Are you all right?"

"It's a little much," Vegeta admitted, not wishing to delve into it again, not right now when he could hardly process what he was feeling.

Bulma pulled away slightly to glide her hands down his arms. "I understand," she empathized. "Trust me. I had my own battles to face going through pictures and stuff my father had given me over the years after his death. I think you're incredibly brave to come back here and face all of it again."

"Hm," Vegeta grunted, tightening his grip around her waist before his eyes went to a door behind her. His eyes narrowed angrily, and Bulma noticed. She turned around to be met with that same door.

"I wonder what's in that room," she pondered.

Vegeta didn't let her ponder it long. "That room was my room," he told her, voice even though he was raging inside. A part of him wondered what his parents had decided to do with that room when he left. They had probably been furious despite how they had missed him years down the line. They had probably taken anything he left behind and thrown it all away. He had taken a few important and sentimental items with him, but not all. He knew he had left some photo albums with pictures of him and Ella that his father probably burned. He had also left some awards and books he had once enjoyed reading. That was probably all gone now.

"Do you want to save it for later or let Goku or Raditz take care of it?" Bulma offered. He admired how considerate she was. She never forced him to do or say anything he was uncomfortable with for the moment. Her compassion and patience were qualities for which he deeply admired her.

"No," he replied. "I want to see it."

Bulma nodded and released him, taking his hand instead. He looked at their entwined fingers and then to her eyes. "I'll go with you," she softly stated, squeezing his hand for reassurance. Vegeta nodded, accepting the offer.

They entered together, and what Vegeta saw shocked him to his inner core. He had expected many things upon entering, another office for his father, an indoor gym, a vanity for his mother…something that would overshadow the fact that he had ever lived in that room.

It was the same as when he had left.

Vegeta let go of Bulma's hand, walking over to his desk. He glided his hand over the smooth surface, dust free thanks to the maids he assumed. A partially read book was left off to the side in front of an out-of-date computer, one of the murder mysteries he had been reading in high school but never finished. Pens and pencils he used for his school work littered the other side of the desk next to the broken lamp. He remembered throwing the cup that held all of them in anger before he left. He figured they would have tossed that all out.

He looked over to his bookshelves, awards of his still there acting as bookends, and certificates of achievement lining the walls. His high school pennant that Ella forced him to take was still hanging there next to them. She had always been about showing that school spirit. He walked over to the shelf, his picture albums all still there. His father hadn't touched them, it seemed.

There was a picture missing from the book, though, and that bothered Vegeta until he saw the frame on his nightstand next to his made bed. In that frame, there had been a picture of him and Ella that he took when he abandoned the house. The frame had been empty, but not it contained the picture that had been in his album. Maybe his father _had_ touched the album, or maybe it was his mother. Either way, they had kept his room exactly the same, still had his high school clothes in his closet. Even if his mother had changed over the years and had been saying all of this garbage to win him over, which he knew she wasn't, he still hadn't accepted it. They were expecting him to come back, and his room proved that they had been since the moment he left.

Everything looked so familiar, yet so foreign at the same time. The room told of a teenager from a different walk of life, and Vegeta felt like a stranger in this setting even though he could picture himself that last day shoving items into a couple of bags before he tossed them in a cab and left. He was so overwhelmed with emotion, nearly falling back if not for the wall behind him. As promised, Bulma was there by his side in an instant, pressing her body against his and kissing his jaw in reassurance. He hugged her tightly, not planning to let go for a while. He was thankful that she was there with him. He could not have done this without her there.

* * *

While all of that was taking place, Mai and Trunks were out and about. They had gone to the mall just to look around, but then they ended up deciding that their outing would be a date and they caught a movie and a meal as well. They had wandered to the ice cream kiosk, Trunks buying Mai a cone. At some point, Trunks had to leave Mai for a moment to use the facilities, and when she was alone trouble came.

"Well, well, well," a familiar voice taunted. Mai's skin prickled when she heard it. "If it isn't Little Mai all by her lonesome. How's _Lavender?"_

Mai turned to see the other teenager, his bright orange hair bringing back memories of the creep getting too close to her. "Kuriza," she greeted warily before she made the attempt to leave. She gasped and her heart nearly stopped when he put his hand around her arm harshly, preventing her from leaving. In that moment, she flashbacked to Zarbon grabbing her and throwing her against the wall. She started to sweat and tried to regain focus on her breathing. She managed to breathe out, "Let go of me."

Kuriza snickered, and it sickened her. "Not a chance," he said, forcibly dragging her away. "We have quite a bit to discuss. It's been a long time since you ran away."

"Get the hell away from her."

Mai and Kuriza looked off to the side to see an angry Trunks standing there. He was glaring hatefully at Kuriza. When Frieza's son merely smirked at Trunks and continued trying to pull his girlfriend away, Trunks sprang into action, gripping a pressure point on Kuriza's wrist causing him to release Mai, and then he pushed him back causing Kuriza to fall to the ground. Gasps were heard around them, the people who were not present moments ago gathering around to see what the commotion was.

Kuriza was pissed that Trunks dared to lay a hand on him, and he cursed the fact that the teenager was so fast in doing it. He let his rage get the better of him and charged at Mai, but Trunks inserted himself and caught Kuriza fist, gripping it tightly before using a defense move to cause the teenager to lose his balance. "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to hit a woman, you bastard?"

"That's a funny name to call someone considering _your_ background," Kuriza mocked. Trunks was furious, growling slightly at the jab, but he didn't let it get the better of him. He just stood there between his girlfriend and this jerk. He did not trust that if he moved away or let his guard down that Kuriza wouldn't try to attack him or Mai. He couldn't put either of them in that kind of position. He also wouldn't throw the first punch. He would not allow himself to be charged with assault. His last prison experience was embedded in his mind.

Kuriza realized that Trunks hadn't fallen for his goading, and he went straight for him again, going for a feint and then trying to punch the boy in the chin. That would knock him around, disorient Trunks, but Trunks didn't allow for that, ducking down fast and then driving his fist into Kuriza's chest. Kuriza was forced back and crashed into a bench, wind knocked out of him. At that moment, mall security showed up to clear the scene. Apparently one of the store clerks had called them, and they had called the police.

"You brats," one of the mall officers grumbled. "If you're going to fight, don't do it where innocents can get hurt." And then he handed over the teenagers to an officer, one who recognized Trunks immediately and glared at him with judgmental yet sad eyes. He was one of the officers that was around when he was on trial. Trunks merely grunted and looked to Mai, asking her if she was okay. Kuriza bitterly scoffed from the other side of him. Mai nodded and leaned her head on Trunks's shoulder. They knew it was going to be a long day.

* * *

Bulma was called just when Kalina had had the maids set up for lunch. Trunks had informed her that he and Mai were at the station with Kuriza and that there had been a fight. Raditz and Goku offered to stay and continue helping Kalina with packing, and Bulma and Vegeta took off.

When they reached the police station, Frieza was already there demanding answers from the officer and the boys. Trunks glared heatedly at Frieza and said, "You should teach your son not to mistreat women. Then I wouldn't have had to step in. He tried to attack Mai."

"It's true," Mai stated. "It was self-defense. Kuriza was dragging me off, and after Trunks got me away from him, he tried to hurt me, and then he threw the first punch towards Trunks."

Vegeta could see the fury in Frieza's eyes, the officer standing to react in case he was needed. "Are you sure that's the story you two brats want to tell?" he questioned darkly, looking over to Trunks. "Or would you like to tell the truth, you lying little bastard?"

Trunks's fist clenched, but he said nothing and looked over to his stunned mother and an infuriated Vegeta. "Do not threaten my son," Vegeta spoke up, defending him and startling Frieza and Kuriza. "He is telling the truth."

"I'm not changing my story," Trunks stated, crossing his arms. "There were a ton of people at the mall who witnessed the fight, and I'm sure there are cameras if you don't believe me. Trust me, I wouldn't want to spend my Saturday fighting your idiot son. I have much better and more important things to do then waste my time fighting while I'm on a date."

Mai blushed, but she spoke up again. "I won't change my story, either. This isn't the first time Kuriza has tried to hurt me. He's as sickening as Zarbon."

Frieza's expression betrayed his displeasure. He released a sigh before looking to the officer and then to Bulma and Vegeta. "I can't say I'm happy about this turn of events," he told them, "but it seems that this tiff is a bit more serious than I thought. I will straighten things out with my son if you do the same with yours Miss Hamasaki."

Bulma tensed in fury, but she just wanted to get Trunks and Mai away from these two. "It will be discussed," she promised before looking to the officer. "Do you need anything else from the kids?"

"Not at all, ma'am," the officer assured her. "I have everyone's statement. You can take Trunks and Mai home, now. You can contact us later to decide if you want to press charges."

Bulma looked to a nervous Kuriza. Even though she did not like the teenager one bit, all she could picture was Trunks the night after he was in lockup. Frieza was glaring at his son hatefully, and she knew that the boy would not have the support Trunks did from her, Vegeta, and their friends and family. "That's up to Trunks and Mai to decide."

"He's not worth it," Trunks settled, standing up and holding out his hand for Mai to take.

Mai did and shook her head. "I just want to go home."

The officer smiled sadly to the couple. "Then you all have a nice rest of the weekend."

Bulma thanked the officer, and then they left, not noticing Frieza watching them. The man was still incredibly enraged. Unfortunately, this would not be the end of Frieza, not after this.

* * *

Vegeta had taken Bulma and the kids home, thankful that when he contacted his mother she had already gotten her driver to bring Goku and Raditz back to their homes. Mai was still shaking when she and Trunks went to sit at the dining room table. Trunks was whispering comforting words to Mai, the girl hanging onto dearly. Bulma and Vegeta exchanged worried glances. The concerned mother joined the kids as Vegeta locked up and then followed suit.

Bulma sat beside Mai, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. She looked to Trunks, blue meeting blue and asked, "Do you want to tell us what happened?"

Trunks swallowed but her nodded. "I was only gone for a couple minutes. I had to run to the bathroom."

"I told him I'd be okay alone for a moment," Mai weakly murmured. "I didn't know Kuriza was there until he came over to me."

"Did he say anything to you?" Vegeta questioned lightly.

Mai nodded. "He was just teasing me at first, being there, and then he grabbed me and said we had things to discuss, that it had been a long time since I 'ran away.'"

Trunks glowered at a spot on the table. "I got back just as he was trying to drag Mai away by force. There was no one around, everyone in stores or whatever. I yelled at him to let her go, and I guess that's what made people come. But he didn't let go and tried to force her to leave again, so I went for a pressure point and pushed him away from her."

"He tried to hit me, but Trunks got in the way and protected me," Mai recounted.

Bulma and Vegeta looked to their son. "Is that when you hit him?" Vegeta asked.

Trunks shook his head. "No, I just caught his fist and got him away. He tried to goad me into hitting him…called me a bastard like Frieza did. Like father, like son, I guess…"

"Trunks, sweetie," Bulma cooed, running her hand through his hair. "You know that term doesn't apply to you."

"I know," Trunks told her. "It just made me angry, but I didn't react to it."

"Hn," Vegeta grunted. "That boy is a moron. I wasn't even aware Frieza had a son to begin with."

Mai nodded. "He…he used to come over to Zarbon's with Frieza," she told him.

"He knew about Zarbon's abuse and he acted very callous about it," Trunks relayed when Mai got quiet. Her eyes glossed over and distant as she remembered the time where Kuriza had told her that she looked beautiful with bruises. She clenched her eyes shut tight, Trunks's hold on her tightening so that she knew he was there. Once again, the two adults glanced over to one another, their eyes troubled.

Trunks took Mai's hand in his, and she jumped, coming back to reality and releasing a relieved sigh, nestling herself against her boyfriend. "In any case," Trunks continued, "when he didn't get what he wanted, he tried to fight me, and that's when I hit him. It was completely self-defense, like we said."

Mai shivered slightly against Trunks. "I…I knew he was a creep, but I never expected him to…and when he grabbed me, I just kept picturing Zarbon."

"It's okay, Mai," Trunks assured her. His grip tightened on her again. "I promise, I won't ever let him hurt you."

The dark-haired teen pulled away to regard her boyfriend. "He's right," Vegeta agreed, even more adamant now than ever never to do business with Frieza or any slime related to him. Mai whipped her head around to face him. "We won't let that boy or his father get anywhere near you."

"I honestly think we should get a restraining order against Kuriza," Bulma offered. "We could go on Monday. I can take you to school a little late."

"Thank you, Bulma," Mai responded. "I think that's a good idea."

"It's settled then," Vegeta stated, "so I think we should enjoy the rest of the weekend together, a nice, quiet weekend." Everyone was onboard with that.

* * *

The following Monday brought on a new set of challenges. Mai getting the restraining order paperwork submitted was probably the easiest. Frieza calling Vegeta at the office was much worse. It started as usual, the other man trying to get Vegeta to agree to make some sort of deal with him for materials Ouji Corp. probably couldn't get for the alleged gravity room project. That led Vegeta to believe those "parts" were not acquired legally. Besides, Vegeta was still denying the potential project until he got word from Bulma, and at that point he would announce that Ouji Corp. would take no partners on this one. It was Bulma's baby, and he would not interfere in anyway, and he wouldn't let Frieza do so either.

Unlike all the other times Frieza had called and Vegeta had denied him, this time Frieza had another agenda for calling. He wanted Vegeta to convince the girlfriend of his _son,_ at which Vegeta did not miss the way the word was sneered, to let Kuriza off the hook. Apparently, he had determined what Bulma would have suggested. If a restraining order was put in place, it meant Kuriza would not be able to attend business functions if Trunks was there with Mai. That would not look good for his son or the company, but Vegeta could care less.

"I reiterate what I said already," Vegeta remarked. "I had no intention of going into business with you. I have not given any indication that I would change my mind. As for the matter of your son, what Mai chooses to do is none of my business. She has the right to protect herself. This is not the first time he had caused trouble for her, and this time he tried to drag her away and then assaulted her and Trunks when he didn't get his way. I'm sure you also heard the officers read off the statements. Did your son try to deny them?" Frieza did not answer. "Were you aware that Kuriza also harassed Mai when she was living with Zarbon, that he _knew_ of what was happening?"

Vegeta continued, not giving Frieza a chance to make excuses. "And there's another matter. You _did_ know about Zarbon, what he was doing, didn't you?" He was met with more silence. "Well, I apologize, but that is yet another reason why we will not be doing business together. Have a nice day."

The CEO slammed the phone down just as Launch entered his office, the woman looking stunned as her eyes met Vegeta's. "Sounds like a bad conversation."

"Hn," Vegeta grunted before motioning the woman to sit. He figured there had to be a reason why she was there, and that reason was clear when the topic of conversation she started with surfaced.

"I have a feeling I know the answer to this," Launch stated, "but how are you and Bulma doing?"

Vegeta's coal eyes met hers and he sighed. "Why come to me to ask me about your stepdaughter?"

Launch's eyes narrowed slightly. "I don't like that term. If you can't call her my daughter, then please call her my daughter-by-marriage." Vegeta didn't know what the difference was or why it mattered. "And well, if I ask her, she'll just tell me that everything is fine and wonderful. She's an optimist, not a realist. I figured I'd get less romanticized and more honest from you."

Vegeta felt a little insulted by the implication. "Your _daughter-by-marriage_ is a realist," Vegeta countered. "And I think, deep down, you know that." Launch grimaced but said nothing. "As for our relationship, everything is fine and wonderful, and that's all you need to know about it." In attempts to get away from the conversation, he willingly got the conversation back to him and the conversation. "And as to answer your wonderings when you came in, it was not a good conversation. I was on the phone with Frieza Cold."

Launch looked surprised for a moment before adamantly warning him. "Vegeta, avoid going into business with him at all costs." She could see Vegeta's confusion and sighed. "He made the attempt to make a deal with my husband a long time ago, but Trunks did not give in. If he had, I could tell you, his company would not have been as prominent as it is today."

"I already know this," Vegeta assured her. "You do not have to worry."

The woman nodded. "I assumed, but also…just be careful. Do _not_ piss Frieza off."

Vegeta was a little put-off by that advice. His expression darkened. "Too late," he admitted. "Why?"

Launch looked a little pale when he said that. "You have to be careful. I…I knew many who denied Frieza, insulted him, and very soon after either them, their families, or both would end up dead by mysterious means that could never be proven. Just…" The woman looked horrified, and Vegeta's expression actually matched hers. He had never heard any of this about Frieza or those who crossed him. He only knew that Frieza's influence wrecked other companies. "Vegeta…I know I said it, but please just be careful, and please look after our shared family."

"I will," Vegeta promised, and he meant it. He didn't know much about Frieza's capabilities, but he be damned if he let that bastard harm his family. Whatever that slime had, he could dish out full fold as well. No, his family would be safe, and that was the end of that.

* * *

Frieza was incensed. He could not believe that the Ouji brat hung up on him and acted so accusatory to him, as if he were so high and mighty. He knew the truth about the boy, the things he could and would do. The window casted Frieza's reflection back at him, the CEO unable to contain his anger. It took a knock on the door to take his attention away from the city below.

"Mr. Cold, sir," Tagoma greeted seriously. "Your eleven o'clock is here."

"Very good," Frieza replied, smirking only slightly. "Thank you, Tagoma. That will be all."

Tagoma led a man into the office, the man wearing a neon purple suit. Frieza's eyes met the newcomers, a man he knew all too well. "Ginyu, it's good to see you," he greeted before his eyes darkened with malice. "We have much to discuss."

* * *

A/N: A big reveal happened in this chapter in this last scene. Hint: If you didn't notice the reveal because past, older chapters were forgotten, then go reread Chapter 19 where Vegeta tells Trunks about his past. If you remembered without looking back, you get a cyber cookie (that will be deleted next time you clear your cookies XD I know, I know, bad, stupid joke!). Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed. Until next time!


	48. Chapter 47

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Okay, so if you didn't get my big reveal last chapter, you'll understand by the end of this chapter. In any case, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I think we're all looking forward to a little spring ^_^

* * *

It was a bright sunny, spring morning, a perfect day to celebrate Easter. Trunks peeked out the window with a hopeful smile on his face. Though everything had been crazy the last few months, the teenager felt like the sunshine could wash it all away. He absolutely loved the spring, and Easter was one of his favorite holidays, a day of renewal, rebirth, and hope. After all his loved ones had endured, they could use a boatload of that.

With excited vigor, Trunks pushed the curtains open to drown Mai's room, making his girlfriend grumble in irritation. Trunks snickered. Mai wasn't a morning person. "Why do you always have to be up at the crack of dawn?"

"It's way past dawn, beautiful," Trunks teased, getting back into bed and kissing Mai's cheek. She took one of her hands and pushed his head away, but Trunks only laughed happily and snuggled into the woman. She groaned, but let her head rest against Trunks's chest.

"You're lucky I love you," she hummed.

"Yes, I am," Trunks agreed. His grip on Mai tightened. "Anyway, it's time to get up. It's Easter morning. We have to find where the Easter Bunny hid the eggs and then eat before getting ready for church. It's tradition."

"I'm sure your mom hid them in plain sight," Mai remarked. "I'm surprised you still do this tradition."

Trunks's brow furrowed. "My mom?" he questioned. "The Easter Bunny hides the eggs…"

Mai sat up, now fully awake when she heard the seriousness in Trunks's voice. He actually looked really affronted. "You're pulling my leg, right? You said you told me you found out about Santa and the Tooth Fairy when you were nine!"

"Yeah, and?" Trunks emphasized before his mind connected the dots. His mouth dropped open. "Oh…haha, of course I'm kidding!" He forced a laugh.

"No you aren't," Mai said in disbelief. "H-How…?"

Trunks blushed slightly and averted his eyes. "Well, when I asked mom about Santa and the Tooth Fairy and she told me the truth, I said, 'but the Easter Bunny is really, right?' I remember mom telling me he was."

"What exactly did she say?" Mai responded.

"Well, I was really torn up about it, and I guess maybe she was trying to spare me, but she said 'um, sure he is,'" Trunks explained. "Do you think she realizes…?"

"I'm going to assume your mom thinks you figured it out at some point and has just been keeping the tradition alive since you enjoy it so much," Mai suggested, kissing her baffled boyfriend's forehead. "And just so you know, you're freaking adorable, you hopeful idiot."

The red didn't leave Trunks's cheeks as he let Mai kiss him again, this time gently gripping her shoulders. He mentally chuckled, though. He really hadn't thought she'd buy his little stunt. To himself, he snickered again. He'd tell her at the end of the day that he had known all along about the Easter Bunny. In fact, he and his mother had laughed when she told him that she had the exact same reaction at the same age, saying to her mother "but the Easter Bunny's gotta be real!" He was sure he'd be getting smacked later, jokingly of course. It was fun to rile Mai up, but at least now she was awake and alert.

* * *

The family met up with Bunny, Tarble, Gine, and surprisingly Launch at church. Launch rarely ever came anywhere when she knew Bunny would be there if it wasn't something she needed to attend or a holiday. _Well,_ Bulma though, it actually was a holiday, but Launch still never joined them for church choosing to go to a parish closer to where she lived.

"Hey guys!" Goku greeted, practically running up to greet them. Chi Chi and Gohan were following close behind, though Trunks noticed someone missing.

"Where's Goten?" he asked.

Gohan merely smiled at his friend. "He's with Valese and her father today. He said he'd catch up with us later." The thought alone made Trunks smile. He was really happy that Goten was spending more time with Valese. It had been a stressful year for all of them, but Goten finally seemed relaxed now that he was where he was exactly where he was supposed to be.

The church bells started ringing, so those congregating outside quickly entered to get a seat. Vegeta took Bulma's hand, still wary about being there, but he found he actually did enjoy attending mass with her family despite his uncertainties. Trunks watched in awe when his grandmother motioned to his step-grandma to enter, chiming a kind, "After you," and Launch actually responded kindly.

"Trunks?" Mai called questioningly. "What's up?"

"Nothing," he marveled. "Just trying to figure out when that happened…"

Goku grinned, wrapping an arm around Trunks's shoulder. "That'll make it easier on your mom for sure." Trunks couldn't disagree.

"Now, come on, boys," Chi Chi called. "It's time for mass."

"Right!"

Gine looked to Tarble, baffled. "Did…I miss something?"

"Believe it or not, personal growth," Tarble responded. "Now, last one in's a rotten Easter egg!" A laugh escaped the woman when Tarble lightly shoved her inside before him.

* * *

Back at the house, much later in the evening, Vegeta decided it was high time he go through the boxes of stuff he took from his mother's home. He and Bulma had packed up the things he wanted from his room, his books and pictures, mostly. It had been a week since his mother had officially moved out of the mansion, and she did find a much smaller home. She still bought a big enough home to have a couple of guest rooms as well as a room for Salza and two for the maids. They had been employed by her and his father since Vegeta was a child, and he figured that his mother didn't want to put them out considering how loyal they had been to both of his parents. Until Vegeta came back into the picture, they were probably her only supporters while she handled her grief.

In any case, he felt ready enough to do this. All day he had been hearing about new beginnings, letting go of the past hurts and darkness. He desperately wanted to. He needed to take the good from those moments and leave that bad behind. Of course, he didn't know if he could do that, so he decided not to go through it alone.

"Hey, this banner's cool," Trunks pondered. "I think this is our rival school's pennant, right Mai?"

"I think so!"

Trunks snickered. "I can't believe you went to a prep school, dad."

"Neither can I," Vegeta admitted with a sigh. "I didn't have a choice in the matter."

Bulma leaned her head on Vegeta's shoulder when he said that, and his grip on her waist tightened. It was her idea for them all to join him, and so far it was proving to be very cathartic. Having the teenagers look through everything eased him. They seemed so fascinated by his past, and Trunks was showing interest in reading some of his old murder mysteries. Vegeta just watched them, looking at each object with deep focus. Eventually, Mai reached one of his photo albums. The raven-haired girl turned the pages delicately.

"Wow," Mai breathed out when she saw the pictures of Bulma's boyfriend. "You looked almost exactly the same as you do now."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Vegeta grunted, Bulma snickering at his side.

Trunks took a look and turned the page, landing on a picture of Vegeta and his high school sweetheart. "Is this Ella?" he asked, his voice holding a certain reverence to the woman.

Vegeta nodded. "It is."

Mai looked at the picture of the dark-haired woman. She looked so bright and vibrant. It reminded her of her mother and of Bulma. "She was beautiful."

Bulma flashed Vegeta a sad smile before she took the book from Mai. She had seen a few pictures of the young woman already, and she had to admit that Mai was right. Ella was full of life in every picture she saw, meaning Vegeta had not been exaggerating the woman's kind and free spirit. She was glad Vegeta had known someone like her. As much as she loved him, she still wished he had not had to go through all that pain, but it just made him the man he was today.

Of course, Bulma did notice something about all the pictures of him and Ella. Vegeta did look happy. There was no doubt about it. Still, every time she looked at his eyes, even back then, he looked so worn. She kept her thoughts to herself until they had finished going through everything. They added Vegeta's things to her room, and Trunks and Mai retreated for the night with one of the books they had put on the room's bookshelf.

Once she had him alone, Bulma brought up the pictures and his teenaged visage's tired eyes. Vegeta sighed, having noticed it himself. He sat down on their bed, motioning him to join her. A silence was between them for many moments before Vegeta finally broke it. He admitted something to Bulma that he had never voiced before, not even to Ella. "I was always on edge when I was home," he began. "I didn't feel like I belonged there, ever. I'm sure you could understand why given when you saw the day we went."

Bulma smiled sheepishly at him and nodded. "To be honest, I had wondered about how you must have felt living that way, having to ring in just to go into your home."

"It was a prison," Vegeta agreed, "and I hated it. Ella distracted me from all of that. I had always hoped to leave with her. I know it sounds like I was just with her because I wanted to run away, but it wasn't that. I did have feelings for her, stronger than friendship. I did love her. She made me feel then like I wasn't alone when I always seemed to be."

It made sense. Bulma could related to that feeling. That was part of the reason she dated Goku all those years ago. They loved each other, but they weren't good together, and that's why they remained friends. They were a family, and they always reminded each other that they weren't alone. It seemed that Vegeta's relationship went much further and deeper than hers with her best friend. It must have been hell for him to lose someone who was both his lover and his best friend, the only one that made him feel like he wasn't on his own.

"You're not alone," Bulma reminded him, giving him an assurance. Her hand gently stroked his face.

Vegeta gripped her hand in his own, gazing into the woman's eyes intensely. "I know." The finality of his voice made Bulma see that her boyfriend truly understood that. She was glad that he did.

* * *

Midway through April was the kids' spring formal at the school. There were only two dances the freshmen and sophomores could attend: homecoming and the spring formal. At first, none of them wanted to go, but they had made that decision earlier in the year, before they were a close group, back when all the craziness was happening. Now that life had finally settled down around them, they all wanted to go, so it was a mad dash to find dresses. The guys had it easy.

Actually, since Vegeta had gone through everything from his old home, he had found a tux that he had worn to his formal school dances. It fit Trunks perfectly, so there was nothing more that had to be done for him. Trunks was actually really happy that he and Vegeta could bond this way. "So, do you think I should wear this for yours and mom's wedding?"

Vegeta smirked, shaking his head. "That will be a bit different. It's not a dark enough color, and I'm sure you'll have to get something else that matches whatever colors are chosen. I still haven't proposed yet, remember?"

"I know," Trunks replied, thankful his mom was out with Mai and the girls shopping for dresses. As he worked on his tie, he added, "But soon, and I can't wait."

"We're still on for _how_ I'm proposing, correct?"

The teenager winked and flashed Vegeta a thumbs up. "I've got your back, dad. She'll never see it coming."

A nod was his answer. "Good."

Vegeta couldn't believe how close it was getting to the day he had considered proposing. Actually, it was a month from the day. The anticipation was driving him crazy. Still, he had a plan, and though patience wasn't his strong suit, he wanted to give Bulma a proposal to remember. He and Trunks had been conspiring for the longest time on the specifics whenever they were alone. It was hard to get the teenager to taper his excitement which had almost clued the boy's girlfriend in, but each time, Trunks used that excitement, asking Mai out for the night to have an excuse for the excitement without blowing the secret.

"Okay, how do I look?" Trunks asked, a hopeful gleam in his eyes.

 _Like a man,_ Vegeta thought, a smirk on his face. He still could remember when he first met Bulma and her son, the boy still having a heart of a child even now, but he had grown up so much in the past months. He had experienced more than any child his age should, and yet he never lost that boyish heart and child-like wonder while looking like the good man he was. "You look fine," Vegeta stated, swallowing down the emotion. Trunks didn't seem satisfied. Vegeta chuckled. "You look like my son wearing a tux. What do you want me to say?"

Trunks actually laughed at that. "Yeah, that's a good point. Sorry, I grew up surrounded by women who always gushed over each new look. It was actually very scarring."

"You turned out just fine," Vegeta fondly told him. "You don't have to apologize for that. And I'm sure the scarring part was your grandmother, yes?"

"Heh, maybe," Trunks joked. He looked at himself again in the mirror, his mind flickering to the fall, back when he first started talking to Mai, the time he asked her out to homecoming. She had rejected him then, multiple times because she was afraid of Zarbon. Now, it all seemed like a distant memory. Sure, she still suffered from her PTSD, but she had recovered so much already. Most of all, he remembered their first dance, singing in her ear, and how they had almost kissed. A blush dusted his cheeks. They had come such a long way.

"What are you thinking about?" Vegeta asked his son.

"Honestly, how strangely life works out." Vegeta chuckled and told Trunks it was time to change out of the tuxedo and head downstairs. Bulma and Mai would be home soon, and then they would be ordering in and watching movies for the night. Later that week, the teens would go to the formal, but for now they just wanted a nice, low-key evening.

* * *

"Can you believe the assignment they gave us?" Goten groaned. "Why do we need to do this shit now?"

Trunks smiled at his friend and shook his head. "Because we're sophomores, and every sophomore in this school has to do the college research paper," he reminded him. "I bet Gohan already has his three top schools picked out."

Gohan blushed, but he nodded. "Actually, I do. I had been looking already. Besides, Videl is looking into the same schools."

"Speaking of," Mai started, "where is Videl? She wasn't in class earlier, and I didn't see her in the locker room."

"Her dad decided to keep her home today and spend time with her before he has to leave for a competition," Gohan stated.

"That sounds nice," Valese interjected. "In any case, I think this assignment won't be as bad as you think, Goten. If you want, we can get together later to start researching. What do you say?"

A sigh escaped him. "I guess that's okay, but I just have no idea what I want to do."

"Not all of us do," Trunks stated. "I still don't know my direction. Hopefully, this project will put us in the right direction."

As the group discussed the assignment, Coach Piccolo spotted them and couldn't help but overhear. The students he were watching now had grown up so much over the year, and the coach was able to witness the transformation. Though he would deny if asked, he had a soft spot for them, but he refused to reveal it. "Hey, you kids!" he snapped at them. Five heads turned quickly to regard the teacher. "Return to your activities and stop gabbing! Do that on your own time!"

They all jumped up to their feet and smiled. "Sorry, Coach Piccolo," Trunks offered before they all went off to one of the courts.

Piccolo watched them leave, smiling in secret. He enjoyed listening to all these students were thinking to accomplish, even if they weren't certain yet where their paths would take them. This was one of his favorite parts about being a teacher. They had plenty of time to make decisions on their futures, but they had already figured out the people they wanted to be. Everything else would come with time, patience, and dare he say teamwork.

* * *

The end of the month of April was fast approaching, and Vegeta noticed something about Bulma that left him feeling concerned. Bulma had become a bit more despondent, though she was still very happy and engaged that no one else seemed to notice. What Vegeta didn't know was that Bulma was in the middle of a grieving period. She had been keeping busy with her gravity project, but even that could not distract her from the anniversary of her father's death.

No matter how much time had passed, the loss still hit Bulma hard every year. She stilled missed the man, always trying to focus on the positives rather than the negatives of their relationship. Thankfully, Launch seemed to be keeping quiet over the past hurts and issues. Bulma was thankful that she was finally taking the hint.

After a week of Bulma's silence, Vegeta decided to take matters into his own hands. He decided to take Bulma out on a date to get her mind off of everything. She really didn't seem to want to do much, so Vegeta decided to charter a sailboat. Bulma loved the water almost as much as Trunks, and it had a calming effect on her. He hoped that would help coax her out of her depression.

Bulma had accepted, but she had still seemed so sullen. She smiled at him, but there was a tinge of sadness to her. Vegeta could see it in her eyes, and he wanted so much to take her pain away. The night they were on the boat, Vegeta finally broached the topic, expressing his concern that maybe Bulma was overworking herself and should take a vacation for her mental health. His lover was near tears before she chuckled and hugged him.

As the two gazed out over the water, Vegeta learned something he hadn't been aware. Bulma finally confided in him about the day her father died decades earlier on that day. Vegeta had been floored when she revealed herself to him.

"It was very traumatic," Bulma explained. "I had just been notified about my master's program the Friday before, and it had been my last day volunteering at my college lab. I had been feeling overwhelmed that I had to say goodbye to people I worked with for so long, and it was disheartening. I had to move, and I was feeling very lonely and depressed.

"Then my grandmother called saying that Launch had called, and Trunks had died in a car crash," Bulma relived, not meeting Vegeta's eyes, even when he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I had thought she was joking, and just stammered out a 'what' hoping that I didn't hear correctly. When she repeated it, my first instinct was cry and then call my mom before I could even talk to my grandmother. Vegeta, it was awful. Everyone had the same reaction I did, except Goku. He and I had barely talked about my father for months because that was after I cut myself off from the man completely, the year after he called me…illegitimate. When I told him, he was just like 'who?' unable to make sense of what was happening. I was on the phone for hours with everyone that night, just talking, rambling about everything I could and couldn't think. It marked a period of night terrors and fear I didn't know I possessed. And then that week, mom had to keep me together to pack up the apartment where every time I found a picture of my father or something he gave me… It just wasn't good, but you'd think I'd be over it by now."

"It sounds like hell," Vegeta empathized, though he couldn't really understand. When his father died, he hadn't really known or cared. He was ignoring everything. The only reason he knew the date was because it was on the paperwork and death certificate. But he hadn't experienced it the same way Bulma had. He was told by lawyers when they demanded he meet, and the way he was told was, "We have been trying to reach you for months. We need you to come in to discuss your father's last will and testament." Vegeta had scheduled the appointment and hung up, and he hadn't really had anyone to talk to, not that he wanted to talk about it, not then.

He looked towards Bulma who sighed as she leaned her head on her hands, lying her chin close to the metal of the boat. "Bulma?" he called softly.

Blue eyes shifted to him, but she didn't move. "Yeah?"

"You're an amazing woman," he told her. "I am sorry you had to suffer a loss like that, and I am sorry he didn't treat you better. You didn't deserve any of it. You don't ever have to get over it. It's not that easy to forget, nor should you. You're a stronger woman because of it all."

Vegeta reached out a hand to take hers, and Bulma obliged him. Her boyfriend was very gentle and loving towards her as he tenderly pulled her into his arms. "I thank you for sharing this all with me," he whispered softly. "I am honored."

"Vegeta…" Bulma sighed forlornly before she nuzzled her head against his chest. She closed her eyes and just allowed herself to relax against him. "Thank you for listening."

* * *

It had been a while since Bulma had been able to visit Broly, though they had visited with him many times over the past couple of months. She had spoken to her friend on the phone a few times, though, and he was looking forward to when he would finally leave. He had recovered well from his breakdown, the new medication doing a better job than the prior, and Broly was now able to handle a bit more stress. He would socialize with others at the clinic, which was something very much outside his comfort zone. However, his doctor had explained to him that his lifestyle before had been detrimental to his health. Broly had improved a great deal.

"Hey," Bulma greeted when she, Vegeta, and the kids had gone to visit.

"Hi, you guys," Broly replied, his voice sounding more at ease than it ever had in the past. "How have you been?"

"We should be asking you," Trunks stated. "What have you been doing since we last saw you?"

Broly simply smiled. "Quite a bit, actually. They had a couple of painting classes, so I went to a couple of those, and I've been spending quite a bit of time speaking to the others around here. One of the women taught me how to knit."

"That sounds really nice," Bulma stated, looking over to Vegeta who was staring out the window. She smiled. "So, we spoke to your doctor. They said that you've been deemed to not be a danger to yourself or others. We can start making arrangements to get you out of here. You ready?"

"Honestly, yeah," Broly said with a nod, his expression growing serious. "I have no idea how I'll ever be able to repay you all for your kindness and for not abandoning me."

"It's what family does," Trunks chimed happily, grinning brightly. Mai couldn't help but chuckle. Her boyfriend was such an optimistic goof, but he had such a big heart and accepting nature just like his mother.

Broly's expression matched Trunks, truly thankful that Bulma and her family truly saw him as one of their own. The love and camaraderie of all who the woman associated with was not something he had ever truly known, not with a father like his. He owed a lot to all of them. Bulma had acted as his healthcare proxy, helping him make decisions on treatments and whatnot. Vegeta had done more for him than any boss had ever done for an employee. The man had helped Broly when he couldn't renew his lease. He, Bulma, and their friends had taken care of having everything moved from Broly's old apartment into a new, better apartment with a good rent rate.

Trunks had taken pictures of the apartment and the neighborhood. The development was very quaint and quiet. It had many amenities and even a park. Broly's eyes had nearly popped when he saw how nice it truly was. He had been nervous about the rent, but Vegeta assured him that he was definitely keeping his raise despite returning to his old job. He would be able to afford it, and since his father hadn't known about the move he wouldn't be able to find him and harass him. He was so relieved he could leave. He was ready to return to his job and his life.

"Thank you for everything," he replied. "And if we can, I'd like to schedule a final evaluation as soon as possible. I want to go home."

Vegeta smirked. "Then it's a good thing the doctor had an opening after lunch today. You'll meet with him in an hour. Until then, we'll help you pack."

That was the greatest news Broly had heard all day.

* * *

"It's so nice we're getting a chance to do this."

Raditz smiled at Lime, glad that she was happy to go out that night. He and Goku had decided to take their significant others out for dinner. Goku had been overwhelmed from work lately, reluctant to go out, and Raditz and Lime had both been busy at the company. His younger brother called him up saying that Chi Chi had wanted some time away from home, but he wasn't entirely thrilled going out to a crowded restaurant. He figured a double date would help to distract him and take the pressure and attention off of solely him. Raditz felt bad for his paranoid brother, Goku thinking everyone was watching him at times. He had immediately agreed to ask Lime, and she had been so excited.

"Yeah, it's been ages since we've been out," Chi Chi pondered, though she didn't notice her husband's grin falter.

"Sorry about that, Chi," Goku offered. "I've just been…in a mood."

His wife smiled sweetly at him. "I understand, honey," she cooed. "And I appreciate this." That made Goku's grin return, and he was able to relax, catching up with his brother on life events while the two women chatted.

Suddenly, Raditz's eyes shifted, as did Goku's when he noticed his brother's attention slip. There was a man over by the bar with bright purple hair. He was someone that would stand out anywhere, but Goku knew his brother. He could see a flash of recognition cross Raditz's eyes.

Raditz was reeling. He knew that man, had seen him and his gang around Vegeta during their college days. His eyes narrowed. That guy was the ringleader of the group that nearly got Vegeta killed. Raditz had taken Vegeta in after, and though Raditz didn't know all the details he and Vegeta had passed the five member gang and Vegeta had glared at the five crooks. The guy Raditz was seeing now was the leader, Ginyu. He knew how much Vegeta despised him.

His expression darkened, alerting his younger brother. "Raditz? You okay? What's up?"

If Raditz were to say anything about who that guy was, his brother would be a ball of anxiety worrying about Vegeta and Bulma. He didn't want that for his already overwhelmed brother, so he played it off. "It's nothing," he lied. He had a feeling it was anything but nothing. The long-haired man was struck with this ominous, foreboding feeling. It told him that a storm was coming. He needed to warn Vegeta.


	49. Chapter 48

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

Vegeta was not happy.

He had gotten a text from Raditz to come into work early to meet him. There was something of importance that the elder Son needed to discuss. Vegeta had assumed it would be something about his family or about the company. Nothing could have prepared him for what Raditz said.

"That Ginyu guy…I saw him."

His immediate reaction was to get angry. He locked himself and Raditz in the boardroom demanding an explanation. That's when Raditz explained that he saw Ginyu at a restaurant when he and Goku were on a double date. It made Vegeta frantic, the usually calm and stoic man pacing the room. "It could be nothing, Vegeta," Raditz tried. Neither of them believed it.

"Ginyu wouldn't just show up in the same city as me by coincidence," Vegeta growled. "He wants something. Whatever it is, he's not going to get it. I have too much to lose now."

Raditz understood. He remembered what Vegeta was like after Ginyu had left him for dead, had known the life he led before living with him. Vegeta had been destitute then, alone and depressed and full of rage. He had been impulsive and ready for a fight. Raditz had gotten him back on track, made him see straight again, and then Vegeta had put all of that impetuousness into making a name for himself. He became a businessman like his father, but he had been a great leader, manager, and friend. Now, he had a company and a family to look after. He would never fall back into old behaviors.

Vegeta was still raging inside, but there wasn't much he could do. He would not engage Ginyu, not when he had a girlfriend and children to watch out for. Bulma knew quite a bit about his past days, though he didn't give her any gruesome details. He would keep a lookout, but Vegeta had no plan to stop living his life just because someone like Ginyu decided to show up again.

"Thanks for the warning," Vegeta said to his friend. "I'm sure it will be fine." For everyone's sake, Raditz really hoped so.

* * *

Neither knew how it happened, but both couldn't complain. Trunks had felt Mai stirring in the night and saw her face contorted in pain and sweat on her brow. Gently, he had stroked her hair. His girlfriend had woken up instantly, her dark eyes met Trunks's blue ones, and a sleepy smile graced her features. That expression lit Trunks's heart, and so he had given her a kiss. Somehow, though, the two in their haziness had gone a bit further, passionately making out when Mai tested the waters and ran her tongue over the boy's lower lip.

Their hands had started to wander and explore, neither stopping themselves in this heated moment. It was amazing. Trunks had never felt this good before, and each touch of Mai's timid fingers made his heart burst with love. He wanted to touch her too, his hands caressing her hips gliding up her body. His fingers stopped when he felt the skin of his girlfriend's belly, her nightshirt having gotten bunched up while she dreamt. Trunks hesitated for a moment, pausing as Mai continued to kiss him. His mind went numb, dizzy with pleasure, and so he took a chance and started tracing the sensitive skin with his gentle fingers.

That brought him back to reality. He was touching Mai in a way that was more than just for comfort, and that made him nervous. Fear that he was pushing her too far entered his mind, and he knew he had to pull away. He was about to, but Mai stopped him. His eyes searched hers questioningly. The girl had a soft blush on her cheeks, her black eyes sparking. Trunks watched her swallow nervously noting just how damn beautiful she looked. She was silently asking him for something, and Trunks learned what it was when she held his hand in place against her stomach. She _wanted_ him to touch her.

Tentatively, he did so, causing Mai to throw her head back against the pillows. She was breathing hard, mewling quietly. It only served to egg Trunks on. He wanted to hear and feel more of her. He practically dove in, kissing her neck. The two of them were really getting into it, Mai unconsciously moving against Trunks's body. Her boyfriend sucked in a gasp, the muscles of his abdomen tightening at the friction. Mai took advantage of that, her hand traveling under his night shirt. Trunks was definitely toned from all the sports he played. He didn't stop her from running her hand up to his chest.

"Ngh, Mai," he growled out, feeling a burst of energy. He was going to have to start being careful. He was getting _too_ into it, now.

"Mm," she hummed against his neck, chuckling at the way he shivered. "Trunks…"

"We need to stop," he breathed out, though Mai could tell by the way his hands lingered on the small of her back that he really wanted to continue. His eyes were clenched shut, and he was sweating profusely now. She ran a hand over his head. He felt hot to the touch. He was really fighting to hold himself back. Her faced was flushed once she came to the realization. She released him then and let his forehead rest against her neck. The two of them laid back against the pillows, both trying to catch their breath.

"Wow," Mai breathed out in wonder. Trunks tilted his head so he could look at the woman at his side. "That was…wow."

Trunks snickered lowly. "Yeah," he murmured, moving his hand from his head to take her hand. "That was."

"Thanks for stopping, though," Mai told him, turning over to face him. "I'm…I'm not ready to push _too_ far yet, you know?"

"I know," Trunks assured her, hand cupping her cheek before he ran his fingers through her smooth, raven locks. "We don't need to do that, yet."

"But I liked it," Mai continued, her voice a quiet whisper. Trunks moved away from her neck to meet her gaze. "I'd be okay with it…repeating moments like that."

A genuine smile appeared on her boyfriend's face. "I feel the same," Trunks told her. "Like I said before, you set the pace."

She beamed brightly at him, feeling a wave of confidence take over at Trunks giving her all this power. She loved this man so much, was so lucky that he never gave up on her and cared so deeply about her. He interrupted her thoughts, returning his lips to hers slowly and lovingly kissing her as if he had heard her thoughts. Then, Trunks cradled her against him and held her tightly, whispering kind words in her ear. Mai drifted off again, back to sleep, the sound of his voice lulling her back into dreamland. She snuggled into him as if he were her pillow, and for the rest of the night they were both at peace.

* * *

Broly couldn't believe how great his new apartment was. He also couldn't believe his friends had moved all of his things for him, or that they had gotten him new, brighter furniture as Bulma had called it. They had put some of the essentials together, but not everything, so today Bulma and Goku decided to come over and help him finish the rest of the place and organize it to his liking. They even took him grocery shopping. He had all the cooking tools in the world, including some he didn't know what they were, but he was learning fast. His therapist said he couldn't live in silence anymore, and so Trunks and Vegeta had picked him out a nice television, and he spent a lot of his time watching the cooking channel.

He was thankful for such wonderful friends. They helped him unload everything that he bought at the grocery store. Bulma offered to do his laundry and some other cleaning while he and Goku put some tables and shelves together. His apartment was starting to look like a home, lived in, and the chaos was starting to become ordered. He didn't just live minimally anymore. He had another couch and chairs so that company could come over. The man would no longer live like a hermit for that was not the best way to condition himself. Surrounding himself with reliable people and friends who were in his life and corner was the best way. When he needed a peaceful moment, he could go to the center of the complex where there was a small, serene park with a bench to be alone with his thoughts. He'd already been venturing out more with that.

It was time to change things up in his life, and that's exactly what Broly planned to do. He wanted to live healthier and pay his friends, his family, back for all they did for him. None of them had to help him, but they chose to. He didn't feel alone, not like last time, and that proved something to Broly that he had come to accept. His father never had his best interests in mind. He just wanted his screw up of a son to disappear to keep his image pristine.

Goku was the one who asked the dreaded question when Bulma was out of the room. "Now that you're getting settled," he cautiously began, "are you planning to contact your father?"

Broly's expression darkened, but he wasn't angry at Goku. He simply shook his head. "There's no need. He was not a healthy influence on me and would only mess with my recovery. I've written him off for good."

The spiky-haired man offered him and empathetic smile. "And we support you with that, but if you ever change your mind, we're here for you."

"He's right, you know," Bulma said, catching the tail end of their conversation upon entering the room. Broly looked to her. "Everything is going to be okay, now. You're part of our family, and we'll support you in whatever you need."

Broly smiled and accepted that. "Thank you, both. For everything."

Bulma's expression matched his. "Anytime." She looked around the living room with approval. "You boys did a good job. I think that means it's time to break for lunch."

"Sounds good to me," Goku cheered, quickly getting to his feet. He looked to Broly, grinning. "We know a really great sushi place. Krillin works there. You'll love it."

"I've never had sushi before," Broly pondered. "I'd like to try it."

"Then let's get a move on," Bulma replied warmly. Broly was glad that it was turning out to be a great day and that he was already practicing this new lifestyle of his. It was time to stop living in the past and try all the new things he had avoided for so long out of fear. That was the best way for him to recover.

* * *

Another Sunday had come, and this was would be the most special one yet for Trunks and his family. First of all, it was Mother's Day, and he was always so thankful to celebrate all his mother did for him and give thanks. This particular day, though, his mother would get the best present ever, and it wouldn't be coming from him. He couldn't hide his grin when he met Vegeta in the kitchen, his girlfriend and mother still asleep as they conspired.

"So, are you ready for this?" Trunks asked, not able to contain his energy.

Vegeta chuckled at the boy's enthusiasm. "Careful, Trunks. That giddiness might alert to the surprise."

"I can't help it," the teenager complained. "This is going to be a great day!"

"It is," Vegeta agreed, handing Trunks the tray they had prepared. "Now, go give your mother her breakfast. I'll be close behind."

The teenager grinned. "You've got it, dad."

Trunks took the tray from Vegeta, looking down to the covered plate. The tray was decorated in flowers, red roses, his mother's favorite. He couldn't wait to get her up. She was never going to believe it. The teenager could hardly believe it himself some days, but now it was finally happening.

* * *

Bulma awoke to the chiming voice of her son wishing her "good morning!" Blue eyes blinked away the bleariness of sleep. The sun was shining, and a tired smile found its way to the woman's face. "Hey, Trunks," she murmured, a yawn escaping her as she stretched. "Morning already?"

"Yuh-huh," Trunks happily told her, waiting for her to sit up. She hadn't really looked to him yet, but when she did she looked confused. "Happy Mother's Day. I brought breakfast."

"We're meeting everyone for brunch today," she reminded her son. "You didn't have to do this. Why are you giving me breakfast?"

The teenager marched up to her, purpose to his stride as he matter-of-factly stated, "It's Mother's Day 101 to serve your mom breakfast in bed. Besides, it's not _that_ big." His features softened, the smile never leaving his face. "I really hope you like it."

The sentimental way he spoke bewildered Bulma, especially when she noticed the emotional glint in the teenager's eyes. She wondered what had him so moved over breakfast, but she decided not to pry. He really wanted her to see her have it.

Or so she thought.

"Anyway, I have to go wake up Mai," Trunks said, the excited disposition returning. "Enjoy!"

Baffled, Bulma just blinked at the spot where her son once stood. No matter how much she knew her child, he was still a complete mystery at times. She looked down to the beautifully decorated tray. It felt so light on her lap. Trunks wasn't kidding. It was a small breakfast. Bulma smiled at how considerate her son could be. She was incredibly blessed to have him in her life.

He knew her so well, too. The plate and cover were from her great-grandmother's china set. They only used those dishes for special occasions or moments and sometimes when they just felt like having a nostalgia moment. Trunks had clearly put a lot of thought into her Mother's Day. She knew it would be the best breakfast ever. Carefully, Bulma removed the china lid and set it aside, and she was astounded at what she saw.

On the plate sat a ring, the most beautiful diamond ring Bulma had ever scene. She carefully picked it up, her fingers grazing over the jewel encrusted band and the beautiful flower-like center that was full of diamonds with a deep, blue sapphire in the center. Her eyes had widened, her breath completely taken away. There was no way that Trunks could afford something like this. He would never think to by her jewelry like this, which meant that it came from someone else. The woman already knew. "Oh my God…"

"Bulma," Vegeta's soft voice called. She looked over to see her boyfriend standing in the middle of their room. The look of surprise hadn't left her. She was still mentally processing what was happening. Vegeta smirked at having left his intelligent woman dumbfounded.

"Vegeta?" she breathed out. "What is this?"

The man couldn't help but chuckle. "What do you think, woman?"

The surprise in her eyes died down, and the brightest smile took its place. That was Vegeta's cue, and he walked over to her, and took the ring from her hand. She didn't mind at all, especially when the normally proud Vegeta got down on one knee, looking up at her with a confident smile.

"I'm not the best with words, as you well know," Vegeta started, "but I feel like we don't need them most of the time. I have never met a more intuitive and loving woman in all my life, never expected to ever fall in love again. And then we met by chance, and my life was given endless possibilities. I have a son thanks to you and your welcoming heart. You allowed me, a man with no family, to become a part of yours. Marry me, Bulma. We belong together."

Tears of joy filled her eyes, and Bulma had to blink them away, her heart bursting with so much love and happiness. She truly adored Vegeta, and she knew that their future was together, no matter what. He always implied it, but she never would have guessed he'd propose after only seven months of knowing each other. He was right. He was an irremovable part of her family, and she never wanted to be without him. She didn't even have to think about her answer. "Yes, yes, yes," she agreed eagerly, nodding a few times, taking his hand in both of hers and meeting his charcoal eyes. "Absolutely yes."

The grin on Vegeta's face was incredibly telling of how her felt. He wasted no time placing the ring on her finger, all the while minding her great-grandmother's dishes. He took the tray away from her, setting it aside, and then he kissed her softly, passionately, his cheeks being wet by Bulma's tears as she smiled into the kiss. Vegeta pulled away moments later, the two of them left breathless. He caught his breath first and smirked at his wife-to-be, his fiancé. "Good morning, Bulma," he whispered. "This is the first day you're getting out of bed an engaged woman."

Bulma laughed light-heartedly at that realizing Vegeta was right. She hadn't even had a moment to start her day. Of course, she wanted to stay with Vegeta a little longer, just like this, and she knew Vegeta would have obliged, but…

"Can we come in now?"

Vegeta and Bulma both looked to the door to see Trunks looking in with a startled Mai. The mother realized that Trunks had to be in on this, plotting with her boyfriend, no, fiancé, to make this happen. "Of course you can," she told them.

Trunks practically ran over to them, laughing as he hugged his mother. He whispered in her ear, "I'm so happy for you."

Bulma could hear the raw emotion in his voice and squeezed him tightly. "I'm happy for both of us," she returned. "Thank you, for helping with the surprise. You are both amazing."

The lavender-haired teen beamed with pride, ecstatic that he played a part in his mother's joy. He had always hoped for this day for her. She had given up so much to be everything he needed, and now someone would be sharing in that, someone who wouldn't run away from his mother because she had a kid. And likewise, Vegeta was finally getting a piece of happiness by entering their family. They both deserved so much after all they suffered. And he was grateful that Vegeta had wanted to be his dad as well.

This was the perfect way to celebrate Mother's Day.

* * *

An excited squeal of delight escaped Bunny as she caught sight of the ring on her daughter's finger. She was so happy for Bulma and Vegeta both. That man had been so wonderful to her daughter, given her hope for a future, and loving her the way she deserved. They both deserved this happiness. "So when's the date?"

"Mom," Bulma said in exasperation before laughing, "we just got engaged this morning. We haven't talked about it yet."

"I vote summer!" Trunks called. At least that way they wouldn't have school to contend with.

"I can't believe my son is getting married," Kailina marveled, moving to hug Vegeta's fiancé. "I'm so happy for you both." Her eyes shifted to Vegeta's dark orbs, her son nodding to her in acceptance.

Launch just gaped at her stepdaughter and her now fiancé. So many times did she warn Bulma away from Vegeta, worried that the relationship wouldn't be healthy or end the way she wanted. She had doubted Vegeta's intentions on numerous occasions, and he had proven her fears to be unwarranted, just as Bulma had declared the first time Launch budded in. She had seen both her boss and stepdaughter grow into happy, healthy people. She was certain Trunks would have approved of the man.

"Let me get a few mimosas for a toast!" Goku exclaimed, thrilled for his best friend. "Raditz, come help me."

"Sure, kid," Raditz replied, following. Gine watched the two boys and chuckled as they practically raced each other to the bar.

"Make sure to get sparkling cider for the kids!" Chi Chi called after them before grinning at Bulma. She, Lime, and Gure went over to see the ring while the teenagers talked excitedly about the news.

Tarble took that moment to talk to Vegeta, a bright smile on his face. "You've already been a part of it," he stated, "but welcome to the family. You and Bulma are great together. I've never seen my sister so happy save the day she gave birth to Trunks. Thank you for bringing out that spark in her."

"You don't need to thank me for that," Vegeta replied. "Your sister is just as much responsible for my recovery as I am hers. She was already mostly there."

"Still, I'm honored that soon I'll be able to call you my brother," the younger man returned.

Vegeta's eyes widened a fraction of a second, but he didn't get a chance to respond. To be honest, it had taken his breath away. He had never had siblings, his family had been broken. As Tarble said, he had been a part of theirs for a while now, but Vegeta had never staked claim on Bulma's family aside from claiming Trunks as his son. He never really knew what it was like to have a brother.

"Alright, everyone grab a glass!" Goku exclaimed while passing the kids their non-alcoholic beverages. Everyone followed suit, Bulma grabbing two glasses and handing Vegeta one.

"A toast," Raditz stated. "To Bulma and Vegeta and their future happiness."

"To Bulma and Vegeta!" everyone toasted, though the kids had a mixture of mom, dad, and Aunt Bulma in the mix.

It was just the kind of simple outing they needed to celebrate the grandiose. Their family was so jubilant in their felicitations. In that moment, nothing else mattered. Come what may in the future, their family could handle it. For now, they all intended to revel in the blessing that would be Bulma's and Vegeta's union, a marriage based on love, understanding, and mutual trust.

They were ready for anything.


	50. Chapter 49

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

A giggle escaped Bulma as Vegeta practically threw her down on their bed. He smirked at her before descending down upon her, heatedly kissing her as if he were trying to consume her soul. They had had a wonderfully amorous night after the two became engaged. Trunks and Mai had opted to stay with her mother, leaving the newly betrothed couple alone. Bulma was so completely happy, and she could tell that Vegeta was too. He was acting so much like a teenager in love.

Their night lasted into the early hours of the morning. Neither had fallen asleep as they cuddled together through the night. Vegeta spent a lot of the time gently stroking Bulma's back lazily. When the sun rose, the two of them were at it again in their sleepy yet playful manner. Vegeta had been the one to suggest calling in for work and staying home, spending the day together. Bulma had really liked that idea, especially because she wasn't done with her fiancé yet, and he was clearly not finished with her. After another round of love making, the two finally decided to rest, succumbing to sleep.

Vegeta tiredly chuckled at his woman. "You're insatiable," he teased.

Flashing him a sleep smile, Bulma replied, "You love it."

"I love you," Vegeta stated as he gazed into Bulma's blue eyes. They were so full of love and adoration in that moment, and Vegeta leaned in to kiss her forehead.

The woman smiled at him, running her hand through his dark mane. A grunt escaped her lover, him trying to conceal his pleasures moan, but Bulma knew better. Her hand then moved down to his lower back, the site of his old and sensitive injury. His jaw tightened, and he grabbed her hand, returning it to his chest giving her a heatless yet admonishing glare. She merely grinned innocently, and then Vegeta smirked at her again before he pulled his woman against him and forced himself not to continue to indulge. They needed rest, and they could always continue later. They'd have the whole day to themselves while the kids were at school.

* * *

Mai and Trunks were early for school having been at Trunks's grandmother's. She had to go into work about an hour earlier than they needed to be in school, so the teenagers were waiting in the cafeteria with the other students who arrived earlier than the morning bell. The place was fairly empty considering most of the buses hadn't yet arrived. That meant it was easier to track down people in there.

"Hey, you guys," Paigen greeted, her voice full of friendliness compared to how she used to act towards them.

Trunks noticed that his teammate was with her, the one who had been dating the former rumor queen since the Halloween party. "Hey," Trunks breathed out warily. He took Mai's hand in his to reassure her. He could already tell she was getting nervous.

The redhead didn't seem to notice and smiled brightly at them. "I wanted to thank you guys," she told them. Their shock caused her to elaborate. "For inviting me to your party a while back. Well, Goten had, but still. It was nice of you. I wanted to return the favor. I'm having my annual birthday extravaganza this weekend, and I wanted to invite you both. I invited the others too."

Mai was hesitant. There was no way she could accept the invite from Paigen, no matter how sincere. This was the girl who had made her life miserable. She interfere with hers and Trunks's friendship, relationship, and their actual lives by spreading such horrible lies. She almost lost her boyfriend because of Paigen. Zarbon found her because of the girl's lie to the guidance counselor. As much as the girl had changed, having spoken with Gure on a regular basis, and even though she hadn't been making life difficult for them in months, Mai still couldn't trust her.

Trunks, sensing Mai's hesitation, spoke up. "We'll think about it," he offered, "but we have some exams to study for this weekend, so I don't think we'll make it."

"Well, that's all right. We understand," his teammate said. "Right, babe?"

"Absolutely," Paigen agreed, her smile softening. "Just know that the invite is there. Enjoy your day."

The couple walked away from Trunks and Mai, the raven-haired girl releasing a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. "You okay?" Trunks asked her.

She nodded. "Yeah," she answered. "It's just…it's weird to me, to think someone like Paigen could change."

"We're all skeptical, even Goten," Trunks admitted. "He mentioned that he and Valese were invited to her party also, but they're going to decline. Gohan and Videl too. They and their father's are joining the Sons' for their family dinner sometime this weekend, so they're going to tell her they have plans."

Mai didn't say much, only leaned into Trunks. Eventually, she said, "Thank you, for saying what you did. It would have been okay if you wanted to go."

"I think like you, Mai," Trunks told her, his expression going distant. "I spent a night in prison in part because of her. She hurt you countless times, said terribly degrading things to you. As much as I believe people can change, I want nothing to do with her. She constantly flirted with me and Goten over the years, and then nearly pushed my friend over the edge…literally. I just can't get passed all of that. That fear of not knowing where Goten was all those hours, the fear of us fighting for our lives and the truth during that court case, all the stress and guilt that was put on you when you were recovering…"

Trunks took in a deep breath, something Gure recommended he do when he felt stressed. He then flashed his dazed girlfriend a reassuring smile. "But all of that is over now. I didn't mean to let it get the better of me."

Her expression softened. "No, I get it. All this time you've been worried about me. You've never talked about all of that before."

"I'm okay," he assured her. "I've talked to Gure about it a lot. Dad too, sometimes. It helps. Anyway, my point is, I have just as much reason as you do to not want to go anywhere near her party. Besides, I'd much rather study with you and then do something together or with my parents. Maybe we can see a movie or something or go out to dinner. That's how I'd rather spend my time. Who knows? Maybe mom will want help planning the wedding, too."

That made Mai smile. She was so happy for Bulma. That woman had done a lot for her from the time she offered Mai advice and a listening ear to going behind her back to do some work behind the scenes with her friend. She took Mai in to give her a stable home, treated the girl like she was a part of the family and not an inconvenience. She stayed with her in the hospital offering her love and patience while worrying about her son in prison. When Mai had her panic attack, Bulma had been with her the whole time, even through her diagnosis. She had given Mai a home and a family when the teenager so no good in sight. The woman deserved to be happy, and Vegeta was a good guy. He equally deserved the same joy. In his own way, he had been there for Mai and Trunks as well, always looking out for them and fighting for them.

"Hey, Goten and Gohan just got here," Trunks pointed out, and Mai looked over to see the two twins talking and laughing. They spotted them right away and headed over to the table, and Mai simply let herself be in the moment, listening to the stupid joke Goten was sharing with his brother moments ago, shaking her head when Trunks was cackling over the same punchline.

 _Boys…_ she fondly thought. Her eyes landed on her boyfriend, though, and she allowed his voice to lull her back to a relaxed state, her anxiety from Paigen's appearance completely gone. At least she was starting to bounce back quicker whenever she had these bouts of anxiety. It was a sign that she really was recovering.

* * *

A frown marred Gure's features as she looked over her file for a girl with which she had just spoken. It was becoming apparent that there were actually a few people on her caseload who had been dealing with some type of abuse, be it physical or emotional. This student who had come to her was suffering from purely emotional abuse, but it was affecting her schoolwork and thought process. Her life was falling apart from around her all because of horrible words. Another student had an abusive boyfriend from another district that she couldn't seem to shake. Her feelings for him were almost as bad as the potentially stalker-like behavior. And then, of course, there was Mai, the one whose stepfather would both physically and emotionally abuse her, imprisoning her and controlling her. There were even more students who were coming to her with other cases like this.

They would benefit from talking about their problems in a nonjudgmental setting, with others who have experienced something similar so that they could see they weren't alone and see that there was a life on the other side. She didn't want it to be like an AA meeting, but she did want the girls and even some of the boys who were starting to confide in her, to feel like they were in a safe space to process their emotions. It would take a while to get everything up and running. It was already the end of the year, so maybe she could offer it a few times before the year was up and see how it goes, that way the following year she could implement the weekly lunch group for all those students who had suffered this way.

There was a knock on her door, so Gure closed the file she was reading and got up to answer the door. She smiled when she saw Mai standing there. "You wanted to see me?"

Gure nodded and allowed her inside. "I just wanted to see how you've been doing," Gure told her. "How the anxiety has been."

Mai took a seat and shrugged. "I still have it," she answered honestly. "Just today, Paigen invited me and Trunks to her party, but I was shaking. I just couldn't. Trunks told her we were studying so I didn't have to worry."

The woman offered Mai a patient smile. "I know you don't like this question, especially given what you told me about your therapist, but other than anxious, how did you feel when she invited you?"

"Confused," Mai admitted. "A little angry. Like I wanted to disappear from the moment and never see her again. I know she's been talking to you and she's changed, but even Trunks and our friends feel off with her. I wish she would stop trying."

Gure could understand that. Despite seeing the changes in Paigen, the girl could not erase all the pain she caused. It was something Paigen was learning to accept. Her boyfriend was helping her. Paigen had come a long way. She still wanted to make it up to the ones she hurt, but she could accept when her advances were denied without being destroyed by it now. Of course, Gure couldn't share that information with any other student. "It is understandable," she replied. "You were hurt by Paigen, and it takes time for that hurt to go away. You don't have to pretend nothing happened. It doesn't mean she won't stop trying to reach out, but you have the power to control what you do. She won't disappear, but you can walk away. You're in control of your life, and one day you'll all be going away to school. This will all be a distant memory then."

"You're right," Mai agreed, a sigh escaping her before she smiled. "I sometimes forget I can make my own choices. For so long, I didn't have control. I'm not used to it yet."

"It takes a while to completely adjust to drastic changes in your life, and you've had so many drastic changes since the beginning of the school year," Gure explained. "Actually, that's part of the reason I called you down here." An eyebrow quirked in interest, and the counselor smiled. "I was thinking of starting a lunch group. Mai, you aren't the only student here who has been suffering from some type of abuse, and it breaks my heart to see so many of you struggling with the same problem. In the beginning when we talked, you always confided that even when you were surrounded by loving people and good friends, you felt so alone. All of you feel that way at times, and so I wanted to do something weekly. I know it's the end of the year, and some of you may not be ready to discuss your experiences with other classmates, but I wanted to give each of you the option and time to think about it. If a few of you agree, we can set something up in a week or so and try it out. If I can convince the school to give me time each week for it, maybe we can establish it for next year. If you're willing to attend and share your experiences, or even if you just want to listen to the experiences of others, I think it would be good for you. What do you say?"

Mai was surprised by the idea, but her mind could not come up with a reason to say "no." Actually, she liked the thought of being able to talk to others, maybe not at first, but if they were all suffering the same way…. Still, it was a lot to process. She didn't know if she wanted to be vulnerable in front of anyone besides Trunks and their family. She still had a shell around her when dealing with their friends. Could she really tell about her experiences with Zarbon, the pain and the fear, with others she barely knew or didn't know her?

But it would only be once a week, and right now it was a trial period. Maybe it would be good for her to at least see what it would be like. If Gure could get approval on this program, she could really help a lot of people, even if Mai decided it wasn't for her. She owed it to Gure. They were practically family, anyway, considering she was getting more serious with Trunks's uncle. The woman had been there for her and Trunks since the very beginning of the change in Mai's life. She wouldn't do anything to make her or any other student uncomfortable.

"Y-Yeah," she stammered nervously, "okay."

Gure beamed so brightly at Mai and moved to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. Mai's dark eyes met hers. "You are very brave and very strong," Gure commended her, reminding the teenager of words she was trying to force herself to believe every day.

Mai swallowed down the nerves and then forced a grin. "Heh, you know, honestly, that's only gotten better because of the fact that I was awarded my freedom," she stated, "and also because I have the most supportive group of people in the world surrounding me, you and Tarble included, and I'm thankful."

"I feel the same," Gure replied, confusing Mai. The girl really didn't know much about Gure's history in college, not like Tarble did, and it was another reason she really wanted to have this group. So many young people, younger than her, were suffering, and as an adult on her own, Gure had barely felt any control when it came to the one guy she had been with. She had taken control, shaving her head for the first time. But she had been alone, with no one to talk to, no one to tell her she'd meet the man of her dreams. It was so many decades later, and she had only just met Tarble and been accepted into his family, no one ever asking her questions about her appearance or why she did what she did. They didn't even know her past, and yet they provided comfort and support always. "In any case, Mai, thank you. I really hope this will help you all."

Honestly, Mai really hoped so too.

* * *

Vegeta could not contain the growl of disdain from leaving him when he was finally approached by Ginyu. He had been meeting up with Raditz and Nappa to discuss some work-related topics, especially given the new media frenzy who finally figured out who Bulma was and that they were engaged. It wasn't a surprise that their engagement got out, and if that were the only matter being discussed, Vegeta would have been fine with it. But it was as Bulma feared, and even though Launch was discrediting claims, there were still some people, thankfully not in his own company or other companies whose employees had met the woman, who thought that Bulma was sniffing around for his money because she was her father's illegitimate. If it wasn't bad enough Bulma had suffered that very comment from her father, the entertainment networks saying it were even worse.

The hype had been dying down over the weeks, and the public was actually condemning the newscasters who made such slanderous remarks about a woman and her family that had already been through so much during the year between her son's false imprisonment and such. Vegeta had wanted to make a statement, but everyone on the board and Bulma both convinced him not to do that. They wanted a reaction, and Vegeta's would be negative as he berated the media. Besides, they had nothing to hide or defend, and after Bulma's emotional outburst she chose to ignore the remarks being made about her. Besides, both she and Vegeta knew they weren't true. They were partners. Bulma made her own finances, they had separate accounts and then paid bills together. They didn't need to feed into the mass hysteria or explain themselves to strangers. After a few days, Bulma was back to being logical over emotional, and they continued to live their life as a family regardless of whatever was being said.

More companies were flocking to Ouji Corp. after the slanders, mainly because they wanted to show the couple their full support. They saw Bulma at the conference months prior and knew that she wasn't out for fame, money, or attention. Even the man who had taken over at Capsule Corp. had spoken up on behalf of Bulma. Vegeta remembered how he had somewhat recognized Bulma, and she had never once tried to claim her relationship to her father. The woman was just trying to live her life, and despite no one outside of her family knowing of all the suffering those at their sister company felt for the woman.

Vegeta had been meeting with Raditz and Nappa about how to deal with the press as well as discussing ideas on how to thank the Capsule Corp. CEO who defended his fiancé. They were meeting at a bar, but it was by no means a seedy place. In fact, they had frequented this place a few times before Vegeta ever went to that club and met Bulma and Trunks. He never would have expected Ginyu to be so bold as to walk right up to him.

"I hear congratulations are in order," the purple-haired man greeted in his self-satisfied manner. "It's good to see you."

The growl escaped, but Vegeta refused to look at his old adversary. "Can't say the same," he retorted, his voice laced thick with derision.

Ginyu merely laughed as if Vegeta was kidding around. They both knew he wasn't. "This is a happy coincidence," the other man stated. "I've been planning to call into your company to make an appointment with you."

"It would have been wasted," Vegeta told him. "I would have denied meeting you right then and there or canceled that appointment if an assistant made it."

A boisterous laugh escaped Ginyu. "Come on, Vegeta, don't be like that." The remark irritated Vegeta. How else did Ginyu expect him to be? The idiot continued to try to get personal information out of Vegeta, acting as if they were old friends catching up, but Vegeta knew better. It wasn't until Ginyu struck dangerous territory that Vegeta reacted aggressively. "So," the gang leader continued, "have you gotten yourself a girl yet?"

Vegeta was confused, and looked to the man perplexed. Didn't Ginyu already _know_ about his life before pestering him? He had to have heard something on the news. Why else would he give out congratulations? Dark eyes narrowed, full of suspicion, and his brow creased ever so slightly. His fists clenched. Ginyu noticed each and every subtle reaction and used them to determine the answer. "Ah, so you do," the delinquent replied. "Is she hot?"

"Knock it off," Vegeta snapped, thoroughly aggravated, "and tell me why the fuck you're here." Ginyu looked completely amused by the outburst, but other patrons and the bartender looked to the strange pair warily. The bartender's eyes met Vegeta's, questioning him. Vegeta only nodded and turned his attention back to Ginyu. "As you can clearly tell, I want nothing to do with you."

Ginyu snickered. "Right, but I'm here, and I'm not going to disappear." Vegeta sneered at the man. "Actually, I wanted to tell you that my gang's still going strong, much bigger than it was back in the day. As always, we can use a strong, powerful member…and a benefactor."

Vegeta's eyes widened revealing how completely astonished he was over Ginyu's audacity. That he even thought he could ask something like that…. "I would _never_ sully my father's company, _my_ company."

"The same father that put you on the path towards us?" Ginyu challenged. He smirked when Vegeta flinched, but Vegeta did manage to limit his reaction. "Do it for an old friend."

Again, Vegeta's anger returned, his lips curling into a sneer. "You left me for dead. We are far from friends."

That didn't seem to dissuade Ginyu. In fact, it only made the man giddier. He placed a few dollars down in front of Vegeta, paying for the drink the bartender had refilled. "I'll leave you to think about it," the man stated. "I'm sure we'll see each other again, _old friend._ "

With that, Ginyu left, and Vegeta was both irritated and feeling a terrible sense of foreboding. Just what was Ginyu up to? He practically downed the rest of his drink to try to halt his racing thoughts.

* * *

Later, Vegeta returned to his and Bulma's apartment. Seeing her with the kids was exactly what he needed. That normalcy he never had growing up existed in their loving home. Bulma was sitting in a chair working on her fill-in puzzles, and Trunks and Mai were watching some romantic comedy chick flick, the two teenagers cuddled close together. It was just so peaceful being home, and that was what he needed after seeing Ginyu at the bar.

He placed his house keys down on an end table, and the sound alerted everyone. Bulma's eyes lit up and a smile graced her features, and then it felt when she noticed his troubled eyes. Her book was immediately set aside, and she came up to Vegeta, taking his jacket. She placed a hand on his shoulder, not knowing his inner turmoil and offered him a reassuring smile. It was a silent invitation for the man to confide in her. After she hung his jacket in the closet, she took his hand and quietly led him upstairs, careful not to disrupt or alert the teenagers.

Bulma hadn't even closed the door when she felt Vegeta embrace her from behind and nuzzle against her. A saddened sigh escaped her as she noiselessly shut the door. "What happened?" she asked, getting straight down to business.

"I'm still processing it," Vegeta admitted. "My past has come back to haunt me."

Blue eyes widened, and Bulma turned to face him. Hesitantly, she asked, "What do you mean?"

Vegeta heaved a heavy sigh and motioned for Bulma to sit down with him on their bed. He still couldn't believe they needed to have this discussion. He had not forgotten that Ginyu was skulking around, but he had been hopeful since he hadn't heard from him that he wouldn't. It was wishful thinking, he knew. Now that he was approached, Bulma needed to know everything that was going on. "Raditz had seen someone from that gang I was in back in college," he told her. "The leader, actually…Ginyu."

"Ginyu?" Bulma repeated, her eyes full of concern. "Okay, so what about it?"

"He came to see me today," Vegeta told her. "Don't know how he just happened upon me, but I've long since stopped questioning that bastard."

Bulma's brow furrowed, and she understood what Vegeta was telling her. "What did he want?"

Good, at least he didn't have to skirt around the topic with his woman. "For me to return to his gang and financial support in his activities. I told him to fuck off. He's not going away, though. Told me to think about it. He'll find me again, and I'm…worried, that he'll come after you or the kids."

"Hey," Bulma called, her voice light and calm. She stroked his cheek with the palm of her hand. "You did the right thing. We will be fine. I'll be more alert, and we'll keep a close eye on the kids. They drive everywhere now that you went with Trunks to get his license, and they don't really go out at night or to places that aren't public. Plus they can defend themselves, and we can always tag along and stay close. We're going to be fine, so please don't worry. I obviously don't know much about this guy, but if he continues to show up, that's harassment and you can file charges."

"True," Vegeta agreed. "Plus, Ginyu isn't foolish enough to do anything in public. All of his…activities, they usually occurred at night. The only reason he approached me now was just because he wanted to talk, not fight."

"We'll be careful, Vegeta," Bulma assured him, "but I just want you to know that I am so proud of you for not playing into his hands."

As small as the remark was, her pride in him always made Vegeta's heart sore. Back when he was with Ginyu, he barely had a choice and he had stopped having pride in himself. He was still pissed he made such an idiotic mistake, but he had changed drastically from who he was back then. Vegeta still went back and forth on the existence of God, despite Ella's and Bulma's belief, but he had to admit it did feel like someone was looking after him. It didn't back then, but someone directed Raditz to him, and who knew Raditz would end up knowing the woman who had become the love of his life. Yes, he would always love and remember Ella, but he knew his first love would have wanted him to find someone and not be alone. _Well, Ella, you get your wish._ That was the first time he talked to her as Bulma had once done and prompted him to do.

"So, did you eat with Nappa and Raditz?" Vegeta was brought back to the present moment and shook his head. He had been too upset with his run-in with Ginyu that he hadn't had more than a couple pieces of bread. "Then why don't we go see if the movie is over and figure out what to do for dinner. We can order in or go out. Whatever you want to do."

"Let's stay in," Vegeta requested. "He had enough of being "out" today. Bulma smiled at him, her eyes full of understanding, and she gently kissed his lips before taking his hand and leading them back out of their room. The woman knew her fiancé was still shaken, but he would be okay. He was much tougher and stronger than most gave him credit. This was just another challenge they had to face together, and Bulma would not let him go in alone. She loved him too much for that.

Besides, everyone had a past, and it was not Vegeta's fault that he had been placed in that situation. Bulma was actually very thankful Raditz had been the one to pull him out of that life or she would have never met her true love. He could have been a completely different person than he was today. God certainly did work in mysterious ways. What was even more of a mystery was Ginyu's return to the man's life, after so many decades. It wasn't something Bulma could understand. What she understood even less was how Ginyu was able to find where Vegeta lived. Sure, it was out there that he owned and ran Ouji Corp., but what made him search this side of town instead of where Vegeta's last known address was. Something just wasn't adding up.

In any case, they were fine and safe, and they would be vigilant. If a stranger approached her, Bulma would have her trusty pepper spray in case something were to go awry. Now that she thought about it, maybe they could get restraining orders on this guy, though of course they didn't really have a claim. Nothing had really happened yet, just their suspicion.

"You're thinking too much," Vegeta pointed out, knowing how his woman worked. In her mind, she was probably trying to think up solutions for him so he didn't have to worry. "Like you said, everything will be fine. We'll be fine."

She laughed lightly. "You caught me, and yes, I agree. Still, I want to help any way that I can."

"You already have," Vegeta told her. "Let's just focus on our family tonight. That's all I want."

"Then that's all we'll do," Bulma replied warmly. "I love you, Vegeta."

A genuine smile appeared on the man's face. "Likewise, woman. Likewise."


	51. Chapter 50

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

Weeks had passed, and Vegeta had not heard from Ginyu again. He was uncertain as to what that meant. He knew that the man would strike eventually. It caused him to become quite agitated. Of course, Bulma was supportive and helped take his mind off of everything. Trunks and Mai suspected something was up, but they didn't ask. All they knew was they were given the stranger danger talk, something they both received as children from their mothers, so they knew to be careful. Someone could have been targeting them. Thankfully, it didn't seem to spark Mai's anxiety.

That was actually getting better since Gure had such a positive response to her lunch group idea. The students were willing to try anything to get out of the ruts they were stuck in, and the school thought that maybe it would be a good idea. They were giving her a couple of weeks to try it and work out the kinks. Gure went all out, making sure there was plenty of food and crafts for the students to work on. She wanted them to feel completely at ease and comfortable.

Mai had gone from day one, as had many other students. Some she recognized from walking around and others she didn't know since their school was so big. During the first big lunch group, no one really wanted to share their experiences. They all looked around at each other nervously, hoping someone would talk, but Gure had planned for this and told them they could do whatever they wanted, including using all the craft and drawing materials. Mai was eager to do that at least. She was sure this wouldn't help her get through these groups all the time. Eventually she'd have to talk, but at least this way she could get used to being around others like her.

She had done what she did best, distracting herself with drawing, this time a beautiful pictures of butterflies in nature. They were her mother's favorite, and honestly she related to them so much, hidden away in her damaged cocoon and re-emerging much stronger. One of the guys looked over her shoulder. Mai flinched, not liking the hovering, and she was about to tell him to back off. She didn't care if they were all there for the same reason. "Hey, that looks really nice," he said, and Mai instantly relaxed. Some of the other students were admiring it as well. "You're really talented."

"Thank you," Mai awkwardly replied. "You know, if you all want, you can draw too. This was actually pretty simple."

"Yeah, no," a girl laughed sadly. "Everything I draw looks like stick figures." There were some other mumblings about how accurate her statement was for some of the others.

"Never too late to learn," Mai replied, and Gure was watching from her seat, smiling. "I could teach you. It's all in the technique. The shading is how you add the details to your work. Just watch."

So, the first lunch group, Mai had taught a couple of the other students how to draw, shade, and color and what details could be added, like lighting and intensity. Those who weren't comfortable with drawing ended up writing poetry, and everyone was sharing their work. Because of this socialization, they were actually ready to consider sharing their experiences, but of course it was the end of this session. Gure decided that for each lunch group she did in the future, she would continue to have this crafting and time for the students to talk with one another normally. Now, she had a better idea of how many tables she'd need. Her office was large enough for that and she was also considering getting beanbag chairs as Mai had suggested, something they had at Bulma's home for movie night.

The next lunch group the following week, everyone grabbed a beanbag including Gure, and they all sat on the floor. Once again, even after the time to relax and eat, each student was nervous to be the one to start discussing their experiences. To get the ball rolling, Gure decided to tell about hers. The students listened to their counselor recount her experiences from college, surprised that she had gone through something like that.

Gure told them, though not in great detail, how she was sexually assaulted by a classmate after rejecting his invitation to a party. She went through all her emotions, how she felt worthless and disgusting, and then there was the fear knowing she'd see him again in class. She never wanted him to touch her again, didn't want any man really to touch her. She had been a beautiful girl, always wearing makeup and doing her hair right, not because she wanted to look beautiful, but just because she felt like it. Her clothes were conservative given her family background, but it was a look that suited her. She had hardly ever dated except once in high school, and that had been fine. But for some reason this guy came after her, and Gure had believed for the longest time that she brought it upon herself my making herself up for classes every day.

The students were so surprised that their kind and understanding counselor who was guiding them through all of this had had her own experience. One of the girls asked her what she did to get away from the guy. "Now, don't follow my example unless it's anything you want to do," Gure lightly joked, remembering Tarble telling her he didn't care if she continued to shave her head unless it was what she wanted to do and not something she felt she had to do to be protected. "Because he came after me for my looks, I decided to stop it all. I never wore makeup and I started shaving my head. I took to wearing hats and bandanas to cover that up, but when that guy saw me bald, he never came after me again. No one did. I barely had any friends to talk to during that time, so I didn't really have anyone to combat my negative thinking. I was already studying psychology at that point, and that helped. Eventually I did go to talk to someone, but I had already been on my way to healing. Still, I preferred to look the way I do today, mainly out of habit, but because I felt safer that way. Now, I just continue because it's what I want to do. I don't fear being hurt as I was by that one person."

"Whoa, that's heavy," one of the guys said. He took a deep breath, being the first to speak about his own experience thanks to Gure's selflessness, making herself vulnerable like that. "I don't have anything like that going on," the teenager said. "With me, it's my parents…both of them." The student refused to meet anyone's gaze. "There have been very few instances of physical abuse. It's more emotional abuse than anything else, a random hit maybe if either one of them is on overload. Basically, I'm stuck because most of the hurt…it can't be seen. Sometimes I want to run away so badly, but I don't have the resources to do so."

Mai couldn't help but think of Vegeta, how he had lived just like that once before. She heard bits and pieces of the story from time to time, nothing major, but how he escaped his parents and went off on his own. "I know someone," Mai started speaking, without giving names, "who had something similar happen. Both parents were emotionally abusive, and eventually he got tired of it. He didn't have the resources either, but he stayed with a friend until high school was over and then got buy and became really successful without any help or contact from either parent. It may be difficult, but you can do anything you set your mind to, and if it's that, you can accomplish it."

Gure was surprised that Mai had spoken up at all, giving this other teenager hope in his situation. A glimmer shone in his eyes. Then Mai actually bridged the rest of the gap and told her own story. "Almost everyone knows what happened with my stepfather," she murmured quietly. "For the longest time, I just accepted my lot in life. I hid who I was by hanging out with the people no one wanted to be around, put up a wall so that no one would try to get to know me. Then, someone did." She smiled, thinking of Trunks. "And at first, I thought he was just like the other guys who believed these untrue rumors. I mean, believe me…I was on a tight leash. I wouldn't have gone anywhere with any guy or I would have ended up hurt. While my stepfather was out of town, Trunks convinced me to get away, but I wasn't exactly responsive to escape in the beginning. I lashed out…a lot, so much I thought Trunks would hate me, but that never happened. Now, I have a paid internship and am emancipated from Zarbon, and he's in prison and can't hurt me. And even with minimal resources, it didn't mean I didn't have any place to go. I have friends who love and support me, and when things got tougher, especially having PTSD as I'm sure everyone's heard by now, they've shown me that I'm not alone. None of us really are."

"You know, you're right," the guy said, sighing in relief. "I never thought of it like that. I do have friends. They've always offered, but I never took them up on it, just hoping things would get better. I guess I could stay with them for a while, look for a job, and save."

"Absolutely, and there are always need-based scholarships for financial aid for college," Gure added.

A girl beside Gure frowned, starting to feel guilty. "What if it has nothing to do with parents? What if you have the most loving and supportive family, and the abuser is someone you're choosing to keep around you? Do you still have a right to complain?"

"That is completely up to you," Gure patiently offered. "This is a safe space if you decide you want to share."

The girl took a deep breath, wary to continue. So far, only a few people shared. She had figured she'd feel better hearing other people's stories, but now she wasn't sure if she even belonged there. "W-Well," she stammered, "I've…been seeing this guy. He goes to a different school, but we used to be neighbors, and I always really liked him. But he…he hits me." She hesitated after her admittance, feeling so many eyes on her. "T-The first time, he apologized, begged me to forgive him. We had gotten into a fight, and it hadn't happened, but lately he just gets so mad and lashes out. My parents…if they knew, they'd be so disappointed. I feel like such a terrible person and a failure for still loving someone who hurts me. I'm sick."

Another guy scoffed a laugh. "Tell me who the guy is and I'll pummel him for you," he joked, though he sincerely meant it." His statement caused the girl to laugh, though a tear fell from her eye. Some of the others were stirred by his mirth.

"Settle down, everyone," Gure guided. "As difficult and upsetting as this is, there will be no 'pummeling.' And what you're feeling is normal. Guilt is a part of it, and in some cases the abuser is someone you care about. It doesn't mean you're sick. Sometimes the unfortunate part of being in love is not being able to control who you love. But even if you love him, it doesn't mean you have to be with him. You said he doesn't go to this school. That limits how much you see him. You can choose to keep your distance, but even if you do or don't, you aren't a failure."

"Yeah," the guy who had joked said. "He is. A failure of a man. No man should hit a woman."

The girl finally smiled, but her eyes were still sad. "I know you all are right, but keeping my distance is what scares me. I know it's for the best, but I…I'm afraid that where I can say that I can do it now, I'll flip-flop later."

"I understand that," Mai told the girl. "Before I escaped from Zarbon's, I kept changing my mind as to what I wanted to do. It was difficult, and I kept trying to push Trunks away while going back to Zarbon. I knew what it would be like if I just walked away, but I kept returning to what I knew. Still, Trunks didn't give up on me, and even when I was back with Zarbon, Trunks kept reminding me what I had to look forward to once I fought. Speaking from experience, it will get better with time. You just need your support system to distract you from all the times you want to go back."

Gure was actually feeling really good about these first couple of sessions. In fact, she considered them a success. It wasn't even just that Mai had all of this positive experience she could share, but she had started dealing with her abuse much earlier in the year, and she had been away from abuse long enough to know that she wasn't the one at fault. It helped the others and Mai, because now Mai was able to see how far she had truly come. A smile rested on the guidance counselor's face as she looked around her office which was in slight disarray. She had never felt more satisfied in her work.

There were a few more lunch groups since then, and the students were already starting to become friends, exchanging numbers and making private groups on social media to keep in touch over the summer and support each other. At least things were looking up for them. The teenagers of the school were all awaiting summer break. Finals were fast approaching. AP exams were over, and before they knew it, it was June and there were only a couple more weeks of school.

* * *

It was the week before school would let out, and Trunks was already bursting with excitement. It was Sunday, but not just any Sunday. Father's Day had come, and before this year Trunks really hadn't had the desire to celebrate. He loved his great-grandfathers and was respectful of the day, but this time he was actually someone's son.

He had spent weeks trying to think of what to get Vegeta for this big day. There wasn't anything he could find in a store that could explain to the man just how much he loved him and admired him as his father. He was going to be married to his mother soon, sometime during the summer. He was a part of the family. Still, Trunks couldn't think of anything.

And then it hit him…literally. Goten and Trunks had been trying to come up with ideas while walking around the baseball field. Trunks had been so lost in thought when someone hit the ball, he barely heard Goten call to warn him. Thankfully, it just hit him in the shoulder, though it did give him his best idea yet. Trunks grew incredibly excited, oblivious to Goten's concern and the player's apology. He just wanted to run home and order tickets to a baseball game on Father's Day. He desperately wanted that experience with Vegeta.

So when Vegeta woke up for his five AM workout, Trunks was already sitting in the living room, waiting with a card. Vegeta was surprised to see him up so early, but he could practically feel the teenager's excitement pouring off of him. Trunks was already twitching with excitement, and Vegeta could see a card envelope on the table. He looked to it and then to Trunks, his blue eyes full of joy and determination.

Slowly, Vegeta closed the gap between them and paused at the coffee table, picking up the card. He knew already what it was for, but the fact that Trunks had given him a card touched him in a way Vegeta couldn't explain. So he opened it, reading over the carefully chosen words of the card, the boy so much like his mother. They were both ones to find the cards with a perfect message, and this one was so simple yet it spoke volumes to Vegeta.

" _To my dad on Father's Day. May you know just how much I have learned from you. Love, Trunks."_

It was an honor to have this boy as a son.

Vegeta's eyes were immediately drawn to the two baseball tickets, his eyes widening a fraction of a second. He felt his heart palpitate for a moment before it settled, and a desire he had once buried came to the surface. He looked to Trunks, but he must have looked like he had been kicked in the gut because the teenager's face fell and he became timid over his gift. "I-It seemed like a good idea at the time," he stammered nervously. "I even made sure to keep your schedule clear for the weekend, rescheduled a meeting the board wanted to have today… Maybe I shouldn't have done that."

"Trunks," Vegeta called, silencing the boy. He knelt before the teenager and placed his hands on his shoulders. Trunks eyed him warily. "I would be honored to go with you. It…just took me by surprise."

The light returned to Trunks's eyes, and Vegeta felt relieved. The last thing he wanted to do was make Trunks feel uneasy about anything he could give him. It was just something linked to a memory, one where Vegeta was a small child watching baseball on T.V. in his father's office while his father worked. He remembered being so enraptured by the game, calling over to his father in excitement, asking if they could go to a game together that weekend. His father hadn't really been listening, Vegeta later determined, but he had said "oh, yeah, sure," while he was distracted by work. That weekend, Vegeta was completely ready, but when he went to find his father, his mother had told him that the elder Vegeta had gone on a business trip for the week. The child's spirit had been crushed, and he never again asked to go to a game with his father. He never went to one at all except to school games Ella had dragged him to. This…this would be a time where he was the father whose son wanted to go to the game. He would make sure to not disappoint Trunks the way he had been disappointed with his father.

* * *

"Peanuts! Get your peanuts!"

Trunks beamed so brightly as Vegeta waved the man over, paying for a bag of peanuts. So far since the start of the game, Vegeta had gotten them a whole bunch of snacks. They already shared the cracker jacks, had hotdogs and sodas, and Vegeta even got Trunks a cotton candy to satiate his sweet tooth. They were having such a blast. The two spent time talking about everything and nothing, or at least Vegeta listened to Trunks. Actually, the man had admitted to Trunks during the seventh inning stretch that he had always wanted to go to a game with his father, but this day meant much more to him than it would have been if his father had kept his promise. The fact that his father opened up to him like that amazed Trunks. He was so glad that this idea had come to him. It was the best day ever.

It was the bottom of the ninth, and the last batter was up, his picture coming onto the screen. Vegeta's eyes travelled to the board and he grimaced. He recognized the player, that guy Yamcha that Bulma had met with the one day, the one who never wanted to responsibility of having a child with the woman. He was an idiot. Vegeta hadn't expected him to be a player, but it didn't matter. Trunks was completely enraptured in the game, watching the field. They were so close to home plate, it was crazy. It showed Vegeta just how much the boy had wanted this, to go to a game with his father. That's what he planned to focus on for the time being. The game would soon be over.

The first throw was a strike, a fast ball that whizzed past the batter. His next swing, he did actually hit the ball, but it was a foul ball that went into the stands. It was coming closer and closer to Trunks, the teenager catching the ball by accident as he stumbled back, impressing Vegeta immensely. Trunks looked to Vegeta, showing the man his prize, and Vegeta chuckled over the enthusiasm. He ruffled the boy's hair fondly, the game ending after the last pitch, Yamcha hitting the ball, effectively winning the game, the home team winning.

* * *

Later, when Trunks was waiting for Vegeta outside the restroom, he had his back pressed against the wall, tossing his ball up into the air and catching it. A voice distracted him, caught his attention. "So, you're the one who caught my ball." Blue eyes landed on the player and then widened. "Want me to sign it?"

This wasn't happening, Trunks hoped. He recognized this guy. Sure, he looked older, but it was still the same face from some of his mother's old pictures, the one other guy she dated other than Goku and now Vegeta. It was impossible for him to refrain from glaring at the man, the man who wanted to break it off because he couldn't find it inside of himself to be what his mother needed him to be. Though it worked out and both he and his mother were happy with Vegeta, it didn't sit well with Trunks that he was standing face to face with the jerk who hurt his mother. "You're the guy who dated my mom!" he accused, pointing a finger.

Pairs of eyes landed on them, and Yamcha chuckled, nervously laughing off the remark while waving people away. "Now, kid," he stated, "none of the women I have ever dated had a son."

That wasn't exactly making the scenario any better in Trunks's mind. "My mom didn't have a son when you were together."

Immediately, Yamcha knew. He was shocked he hadn't seen the resemblance beforehand. "Oh, you must be Bulma's boy," the man marveled. Trunks's heated glare became more intense. "Wow, look at you! You're so grown up."

A scoff escaped the teenager, and he crossed his arms looking away petulantly. "Don't patronize me."

"So, what brings you here?" Yamcha asked, attempting to sidestep the comment. "Is Bulma here?"

Anger flared up within Trunks. How dare this guy ask him about his mother when he wanted nothing to do with them. Of course, Trunks hadn't been conceived yet, but this guy hadn't wanted a child. "No," Trunks answered, and then an idea, the truth, struck him. He smirked. "I'm waiting for my dad." Yamcha's eyes nearly bugged out, realization settling in with shock when Vegeta finally walked out of the bathroom. "There he is now."

Vegeta's brow quirked, but then he noticed Yamcha standing there, gazing at him in complete disbelief. Without knowing what was happening, Vegeta understood what Trunks was doing perfectly, and he had no problem with it. "Son, it's time to go." Trunks practically lit up and made his way over to Vegeta. He didn't even give Yamcha a second glance, but Yamcha had not removed his eyes from Vegeta's. "What?"

Nervously, Yamcha asked, "Did you and Bulma actually get married?" He barely tried to contain his displeasure. "You have to be if the kid is calling you 'dad.'"

"It's none of your concern," Vegeta countered, his expression harsh. "And 'the kid' has a name." He looked to Trunks. "Let's go home. Your mother is expecting us."

As the two walked away, Yamcha called out for Vegeta to wait. Both men stopped walking, Vegeta pausing to glare back at the man. "Never let her go," Yamcha told him.

Vegeta grunted and then chuckled. "I'm no fool." With that, they left the baseball player alone to contemplate what just happened, highlighting his foolishness. After all, he could have chosen to be with Bulma and have a wonderful and loving family, but he ran away from both the commitment and responsibility. It didn't matter. Bulma was meant to be with Vegeta, anyway, the man knew. It was strange to be thankful for another man's idiocy. Bulma and Trunks were his responsibility now.

* * *

Father's Day progressed nicely, the weather perfect, and the warmth in the family comforting. Neither Trunks nor Vegeta informed Bulma of their run-in with Yamcha. It wasn't that important, not really. But the girls listened to Trunks talk about their time at the game, both wearing smiles knowing just how big this was for both of them. Bulma and Vegeta kept meeting eyes and exchanging grins. His fiancé could tell that he was happy and had enjoyed himself too. Then later, they went to a barbeque at the Son household, and later returned to the apartment, thoroughly spent.

It was some time after the kids went to bed that Bulma and Vegeta were lazing around their room. They were cuddled together, reveling in each other's presence when Vegeta asked, seemingly out of nowhere, "Did you ever want more children?"

Bulma sat up, eyeing Vegeta strangely. She never expected that question to ever leave his lips. It was something she gave up thinking about when she had the surgery. She had had Trunks, and he was all she really needed. "I did," she admitted, her voice practically in a whisper, "but it just didn't work out."

It appeared that Vegeta was silently considering her answer, and Bulma couldn't help but wonder what gears were turning in his mind. "Because of the surgery?"

The woman nodded, but she added, "I could have gone again to have another child as I did with Trunks, but I had put so much time and energy into him. I was trying to love him enough for two parents. I didn't want him to feel like he had to compete for that affection, plus even though my finances were good, I didn't think I could afford a second go around. I was also working more as Trunks got older, and when he was old enough I considered going again, but then the condition kicked in, and I wasn't going to put Trunks through that stress of not knowing what was going to happen to me again, so it just didn't work out."

A small smirk graced Vegeta's features, though Bulma couldn't see. _Selfless as always,_ he fondly thought. Hearing her reasoning shifted something in Vegeta's mind. He knew this woman was an amazing mother and she really did deserve more children, the ones she wanted, the ones he wanted. Past inklings was at the forefront of his mind. "I never wanted children in the past," he stated, earning Bulma's attention. "I doubted I had anything to offer them. I'm starting to see things differently."

Bulma couldn't help but grin. "You are amazing with Trunks," she assured him, stroking his cheek. "It's a shame we didn't meet back then. I already know you would have been an amazing partner and father. I can't help but imagine it."

That was the invitation Vegeta needed, his body rumbling with a soundless chuckle. Bulma's brow furrowed as his eyes met hers. "Bulma," he murmured, his voice airy and light, "we don't have to imagine." The priceless look on her face only served to egg Vegeta on. "I know what you're thinking, and I'm not crazy. I know biologically we can't have a child together, but Bulma…have you ever considered adoption before?"

Her movements were faster than Vegeta expected, and her caught-in-headlights gaze was enough to bring him such amusement. Her surprise at the notion was evident, but the proposal was made and he could see it in her eyes. She was considering it. The smirk never left his face. "W-Wh…" she stammered. "Where did you get an idea like that?"

"Believe it or not, my parents," Vegeta revealed. "I never thought, ever, that I'd want to raise a child from the beginning. After today, being with Trunks, seeing what it was like to bond with a child…Bulma, I want it, and I want it with you. It doesn't have to be today, tomorrow, or even in the next couple of months, but I want it. I can see in your eyes. You do too."

Bulma didn't know how to react. She was still so completely astounded that Vegeta had presented this new idea to her, one that she hadn't ever considered for them. It wasn't that she didn't trust Vegeta would want to be a father, but she had just been content with their relationship and life that her mind never considered it. As soon as the words left his mouth, her mind was already picturing the process. She knew it could be a long and difficult process, but so was the way she conceived Trunks. It was the right time for them, she agreed. They would soon be married and then they had their whole future ahead of them. There was definitely room for a child, especially one that needed a good and stable home. Her decision was clear.

"I do."

It was yet another moment for the couple, where their lives would change for the better.

* * *

It was the final week of school, and that meant a lot of energy around the high school, mainly from the anticipation. Seniors were getting ready to graduate, and those returning the following year were getting to meet their next year's teachers. Trunks and his friends couldn't believe they were on their way into their junior year. They were excited for the most part, though they were even more excited for the summer.

"Ugh, really?" Goten huffed when he handed Trunks his final history paper. "That jackass. He failed me."

Trunks frowned, reading over the paper and seeing nothing wrong with the essay. "I would fight this," the teen suggested. "You could talk to Gure about it."

A sigh escaped his anxious friend. "No, it's fine. I survived the class with a C and the jerk stopped showing my papers to the class. I think he just did it to spite me since I was doing better the second half of the year."

"It's up to you," Trunks offered, "but hey, don't even worry about it. You're done with that class, and he can't mess with you anymore. Next year is going to be even better. You'll see."

"Yeah," Goten agreed, his voice quiet as he smiled. "You're right. I got through it and that's all that matters. This year's done and so is all the crap that happened during it."

That positive attitude that Goten worked so hard for was really paying off, and it brought Trunks a lot of joy. "Absolutely. So, you ready for the summer?"

"Oh course!" Goten exclaimed. "Water parks, movies, our annual joint family trip, not to mention your parents' wedding."

Trunks always loved to be reminded of the wedding that they'd all be attending. His mother had been alone so long and deserved to be happy. The couple had kept their promise, wanting everyone to attend the wedding on the island where they had had the conference. Trunks had wanted to go to the beach with his parents as Bulma had suggested the previous fall. He never expected that his mother and father would decide on a destination wedding. Vegeta was planning to pay for the travel expenses for everyone who couldn't afford it. It was going to be another amazing experience in his young life, and he could hardly contain his excitement.

"Don't tell mom, but I already have a bag packed for that," Trunks joked, and Goten laughed knowingly. He knew his friend was being completely serious about that. Everyone was thrilled for the happy couple, their mothers helping to plan any way they could, and as much as they allowed, out of sheer excitement for their children. Even Goten's father couldn't help but tell even random usuals at the vet clinic that his best friend was getting married. "Anyway, I need to pick up Mai from lunch group. It's their last one of the year."

"Alright, catch you later, bro."

Trunks smirked at his friend. "Back at ya, bro."

* * *

Mai sighed as she relaxed in her bean bag, listening to the other students. It was the final lunch group of the year, and everyone had already come such a long way. The guy whose parents were emotionally tearing him down had ended up moving in with a friend of his, and his parents were actually making an effort, not wanting to lose their kid. Still, it was good for them all to have those boundaries between them. Some of the students who were like her, abused by a remaining parent or stepparents, were now in foster care in the area, still able to attend school while talking with other families who were willing to assist them. The girl who was in an abusive relationship was doing a good job of staying away from her boyfriend, actually breaking up with the guy. Any time he reached out or tried to see her, she contacted Mai or some of the other guys and girls, and they ended up meeting up outside of school.

Gure had just finished telling everyone that the higher ups at the school had approved the weekly meetings for the next few years, and that came as a relief to everyone. Though most were doing much better, there were still some that needed the guidance, and those who had gotten out of the abusive situations were still recovering, and this group was a safe place for them to just relax, be, and see their progress on the days when they couldn't see it. So, as the students were saying goodbye, it really didn't feel like a goodbye. Instead, they were just going see each other in a couple of months, and they were ready to share the experience they would have along the way.

Trunks smiled as he approached the guidance office, happily watching Mai laughing with some of the girls and waving goodbye to them. It brought him such joy to see Mai in a normal and safe environment, enjoying her life and acting social as opposed to her old, evasive guise. She had really come out of her shell, was the bright and kind woman he always knew she was. He was happy for her, thankful that she was healing. The woman she used to be was crawling deeper and deeper into her mind. Still, even though she had changed, Trunks had only seemed to fall even more in love with her. He always had wanted the woman he loved to be happy and open.

"Trunks," Mai called, snapping his attention from his thoughts.

He lit up like a kid in a candy store when she came into his view. "Hey, did you have fun?"

Mai smiled giving him a single nod. "We did," she told him. "Thank you for asking."

"Always," Trunks chimed, taking her hand and lacing their fingers. "Come on, we have class. We're almost done with this year."

"Thankfully," Mai teased, squeezing Trunks's hand. "I'm really looking forward to the summer. Honestly, I don't think I've done anything fun for the summer…well, since…"

Trunks smiled sadly, and gripped her hand tighter. "I'm sure your mom was an amazing woman," he offered, "and she'd be really happy that you get to experience life. We're going to have a great time. All the stuff you can do in the summer, we're doing it all."

"Always ambitious," Mai laughed, hugging her boyfriend from the side. "Well, I'm ready for it. School can't end quick enough."

"Just a few more days," Trunks assured. Then, they would be free to live their everyday lives without the added pressure of school.

* * *

With Bulma's and Vegeta's engagement becoming public knowledge, their company was receiving even more attention. It had finally come to the public's attention that there were many new inventions of interest, and the biggest one was the gravity room. Vegeta had been leery about announcing the project, but it was enough to shut everyone up about Bulma's parentage. The board had all agreed despite the fact that the project was simply in the beginning stages. NASA had been interested and had signed off on the research. Everything had fallen into place quickly.

Of course, it did not escape Frieza's notice at all. In fact, the CEO of Cold Enterprises decided to have an impromptu visit with someone at the company. This time, it wasn't Vegeta, and he refused to be sent away despite not having an appointment. The secretaries in the lobby below tried to discourage his entry, but Frieza was hardly phased. He was going to get what he wanted, and this time he was going directly to the source.

"Miss _Briefs_ ," he greeted as he barged into Bulma's office. The woman frozen, her heart palpitating in her body. "I hear congratulations are in order."

Swallowing down her nerves, Bulma forced up her calm and collected façade. "Mr. Cold," she greeted indifferently. "I don't believe we had an appointment today."

"We didn't," Frieza droned. "I was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by to offer my congratulations on your new project, as well as you engagement to Mr. Kurobushi."

"Speaking of," Bulma interjected, "my last name isn't Briefs. It is Hamasaki. I don't care what you've heard in the media. I will never stake claim to his name." Frieza actually laughed at that, and it flared Bulma's temper. Her politeness took a backseat. "What do you want?"

"Ah, straight to the point, I see," Frieza pondered. "No wonder you and Kurobushi get along so well together. Actually, I came to discuss the answer to all of your problems."

Bulma looked to the businessman, completely baffled. "My problems?" she questioned, her voice irritated. "There is no problem."

"That's not what I heard in the media," Frieza replied. "In fact, even though the attacks have died down, many seem to think that it doesn't look good for you to marrying your boss."

A roll of her eyes was the response as well as, "I was never one to care about the public and their opinion, and I want nothing from you. I can handle myself."

"I am well aware, but you should consider my offer. Miss Hamasaki, I would very much like to offer you a job as the head scientist at Cold Enterprises. We could use someone exactly like you."

 _Is he for real?_ Bulma asked herself, her eyes narrowing at the man. Frieza had made it clear he was interested in her gravity room project, and his meetings with Vegeta told her that he was only interested in military equipment. Bulma refused to involve herself in a trade that could one day put innocent lives in danger. There was no way she would leave a job she loved where she worked with the man she loved. Those at the company saw the real her, a survivor, an independent woman who just worked well with Vegeta. She and Vegeta were partners. Frieza was a dirty businessman, bordering on the illegal.

"I'm happy right where I am."

The feigned cordiality Frieza presented had completely disappeared, and he looked completely angered. For a moment, Bulma had become nervous, the distrust she had in the man intensifying. She decided to explain her reasoning which only served to fuel Frieza more, the opposite of what she intended. "I know what you're all about," she had said, "and I cannot, in good conscience, get involved with creating military weapons. I am more about innovation, what is going to make life better for families. That is what Ouji Corp. is all about, and Vegeta and I are partners. I formally reject your offer. I am staying right here. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get to a meeting. You need to leave."

At that, Bulma stood up, gathering her notes, and she avoided Frieza's gaze. She knew he was still lingering in her office. She walked towards the door, stopping next to the businessman. "You can show yourself out," she warned. "Don't make me call security."

"You're making a mistake," Frieza darkly threatened. "I won't forget this."

After the threat lied between the two, Frieza swiftly took his leave, a heated aura surrounding him as he walked down the hall to the elevator. Bulma's eyes met his, and she knew at that moment that she had crossed a line with the man, offended him in some way, and he was dangerous. It was best to let Vegeta know. As she had said, they were partners. He would know what to do. If anything, he would reassure her. Bulma always felt safe when she was with Vegeta, no matter what dangers surrounded them. They had gotten through so many already together, united. This would be no different.


	52. Chapter 51

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

Bulma could hardly believe what she was seeing, her reflection in the mirror reflecting a joyful bride-to-be back at her. She could hear the cooing gushes of her mother and friends. It hadn't taken her long, but she had found _the_ dress. She had to hold herself together before she made herself cry, even in happiness. She turned around to face the others, beaming brightly. "So?" she murmured knowingly. "How do I look?"

"Radiant," was the first word she heard, and the sincere compliment came from none other than Vegeta's mother.

"Thank you, Kalina," Bulma replied, the smile never leaving her face as she took in everyone's expressions and compliments. This had always been a plan, even before she ever came close to meeting the man she'd end up with. She wanted to include everyone, no matter how iffy relationships were. It was what she wanted, and thankfully everyone had been on their best behavior. Her mother was there along with Launch and Kalina, and she had Chi Chi, Lima, and Gure, her friends, there with her. Mai was also there, happy to be included in such a special, private moment. Even Tarble had gone with them, wanting to support his sister and play mediator if need be. Everyone surprised and relieved them. They were all completely getting along.

As everyone discussed the beauty of the dress as well as other aspects of the wedding, Bulma pulled her little brother aside, asking him what he thought. Tarble merely grinned warmly. "You look beautiful, sis, but not because of the dress. Honestly, you're glowing."

Both of them knew she only seemed like that when she was truly happy.

* * *

The wedding was already set, the couple planning everything right away. Once a date was chosen, there really was nothing to it. Despite it being very close to the summer, Vegeta's reputation and prestige spoke volumes and the hotel and venue were willing to schedule a last minute celebration. It would be a destination wedding, and they would be staying at the hotel where they had spent their first trip, even if it was technically a business trip. Vegeta had very few family to attend. Most of his friends were Bulma's as well. The woman was the one with a larger family, all of whom agreed in advance that they would go wherever they had to. Besides, Vegeta offered to offset some of the cost. They were planning to get married on the beach.

It was a bright and sunny Saturday afternoon when Bulma and Vegeta were working on the invitations now that they had them. They already knew the majority who was coming, but this was a formality Bulma had wanted. "Now," Bulma voiced warily. "You still want to invite your mother, right?" Bulma never wanted to assume anything with Vegeta's healing nor his comfort around the woman. Just because she was inclusive didn't mean Vegeta was fully ready to dive in, so she always needed verbal confirmation.

Or a nod, in this case, as Vegeta's silent way of saying he wanted the woman there. His relationship with his mother had improved greatly over the year. He had never thought that would happen, and if anyone had told him it would in the past he most likely would have punched their lights out over the cruelty of the joke. Now, he just couldn't stay mad at her. Besides, she was so excited for this wedding, and that alone had helped him accept her presence. She was not the same woman she used to be.

He caught himself wondering how his father would react to his choices. For the longest time, he hadn't cared. Vegeta had written the man off long ago. As he allowed himself to grieve, finally, he realized that there was still a childish part of him that craved the man's acceptance and approval. His mother had told him multiple times that his father was proud of him. He had changed and regretted his actions after Vegeta had disappeared from their lives. As he thought of that, his mind wandered to thoughts of the charity Vegeta Sr. started because of him and Ella. A tumultuous wave of emotions crashed to a halt, leaving him feeling somber yet hopeful. Vegeta believed his father would be proud of who he was taking as a wife. He would have accepted Bulma.

"Hey," Bulma gently called him out of his trance, "you okay?"

She was answered by Vegeta pulling her flush against him. He said nothing, but his eyes spoke of his complicated mind. He never had to explain himself to Bulma. The woman, as she did now, always gently ran her fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp to allow him to relax, his frantic thoughts silencing and leaving them in peace. Bulma cuddled her fiancé knowing he must be feeling a bit overwhelmed. After all, weddings always brought out the best and worst in some people. She knew they could handle it.

A kiss to his forehead was her way of reassuring him that she was there. His grip on her tightened, and they stayed like that for a while. It was nice, to just simply be, not really having to do anything. Moments like these, Vegeta could get used to them. In just a few weeks, all of this would be permanent. Nothing would interfere with their happiness.

* * *

"I can't believe the wedding is so close," Gure chimed happily, taking Tarble's hand. "You must be so excited for them."

Tarble smiled at his girlfriend and nodded, squeezing her hand gently. "I am. It's been a crazy year, emotions have been all over the place, but everything is as it should be. I've never seen my sister so happy aside from when Trunks was born, and Vegeta is a good man who has also had it rough. They both deserve this. To be honest, I've been learning a lot from them about relationships."

"Oh?" Gure questioned, curious and leaning in to quietly ask, "What do you mean?"

The man grinned a boyish grin, feeling in his heart that it was the right time to confess his feelings to his girlfriend. Honestly, what he felt was her was completely different than what he felt for his ex-fiancé. With Maron, he had believed he loved her, but now he believed his feelings to be complete infatuation. He was willing to do anything to make her happy, buying her whatever she wanted and doing whatever she wanted. When they were together, he spent less and less time with his family, not because he wanted to, but because Maron always had other stuff she wanted to do, and between managing her and then dealing with work he was exhausted. Though it had hurt when she cheated on him, honestly Tarble just felt used. That was where all of his hurt stemmed from. At first he missed her, but after living with his sister and nephew for a week he realized what he really needed was his family, and he hardly thought about Maron except for that horrid feeling of betrayal.

When he met Gure, he instantly felt a connection to her, but it was right after the bombshell of his father had been dropped. She had listened patiently, and that was what he needed at the time. They kept meeting by chance after that. It felt like fate. Still, Tarble was terrified she'd end up being his rebound. She was anything but.

He didn't care that he rushed into bringing her to family functions. The two still acted as if they were in the early stages of their relationship. He never pushed her into physical situations, knowing her past, and she always looked at him with such adoration. It was easy being with Gure, and it felt right. Their lives weren't perfect, but being with the woman made it more bearable. It was part of what he was learning from his sister and her soon-to-be husband. Their life was a crazy storm on most days, and yet they lifted each other up. That was what Tarble wanted to do for Gure, what Gure unknowingly did for him.

He wanted to tell her just how much she meant to him.

"Tarble?" a horrified and familiar shriek interrupted his thoughts. On instinct, Tarble's body tensed up, the feeling of anxiety entering his chest. He clenched his eyes shut tight, mentally wondering why _she_ of all people had to show up right when he was going to tell Gure the true extent of his feelings towards her.

Gure looked to Tarble, eyes wide as she took his his pained features. The man swallowed and then opened his eyes, taking a deep breath before he looked to the blue-haired woman who approached their table. "Maron," he greeted coolly, forcing himself to take a page from Vegeta's book and hoping it would be enough to chase off his ex.

Maron clicked in disdain, her eyes studying the pair in front of her. She had come into the sports bar to look for her next conquest when she saw her ex-fiancé there sitting with some horrible looking creature. It was an insult to her that her ex moved on to something like… _that._ "Surprised to see you here with…" She looked to Gure, disgusted. "I'm sorry, I assume you're a woman?"

A pang shot through Gure's chest, the woman startled by the disrespectful insult. She knew who this woman was. Tarble had told Gure everything about his failed engagement. Never did she expect to meet her, and she was just as horrible as she had gathered from Tarble and even Bulma when she had gone to the woman to ask questions she didn't want to trouble Tarble with. Despite knowing how horrid she could be, Gure still felt hurt and ashamed. It didn't help that Maron was more beautiful that Gure could have pictured. It was no wonder Tarble had been with her.

"Maron," Tarble growled in warning, earning the rude woman's attention. "That wasn't very nice."

"Whatever," Maron huffed before smiling a charming smile. "You know what, Tarble. I'm glad you're here. I've been really lonely without you, you know. I made a mistake. I want you back."

Gure's eyes flashed to Tarble's, hers full of concern. His were cast down to the table and clouded with disbelief. His mouth was agape. Maron's audacity caught him off-guard. First she insulted his date, and then she was propositioning herself to him in front of her? Why would she do that when she didn't even give a damn about him? His brow furrowed. There was no way in hell he would ever go back to her, especially not when she was displaying her true colors right there in a public setting.

Tarble was oblivious to Gure's self-doubt. A part of her thought that her boyfriend was actually considering it, that he would leave her for someone prettier. She knew Tarble wasn't like that. They had grown so close in so short a time. Gure was being included in all of his family functions. There were nights they'd spend together, just sleeping in the same bed, cuddling or kissing, but it wasn't like Tarble seemed to have a burning passion.

A seemingly long moment passed before Tarble lifted his head, his angered eyes on Maron's. Gure misread the emotions in his eyes, thinking that this was it. She closed her eyes, waiting for the moment to crash down on her, but then her eyes shot open. Tarble's hand was on hers, gripping her tightly. Gure gasped in surprise, and Maron appeared highly affronted. The spiky-haired man afforded his girlfriend a bright smile, his gesture reassuring Gure that he wasn't leaving her. Then, he set his sights on Maron, and he let her have it.

"No thanks," he replied nonchalantly before seriously adding, "I'm good right where I am."

"With that thing?" Maron practically screamed.

Before Gure could shirk away, Tarble squeezed her hand again, preventing that self-deprecation. "Again with the insults," Tarble scoffed, disappointed. "Maron, I'm happy with Gure. You and I just weren't meant to be. Gure is the one that I am meant to be with, the one I love." His eyes narrowed, full of uncharacteristic rage. "And I don't like the way you spoke to her. Apologize." Maron was shocked at Tarble's demand. He repeated himself. "I want you to apologize for the cruel things you said to and about my girlfriend."

She wasn't going to apologize. All three of them knew that. Instead, Maron merely "hmph-ed" and then flipped her hair before running off to find her next victim. Relief flooded Tarble's heart when she was out of sight, but he still felt uneasy regarding how she treated Gure. His girlfriend never asked for that, and he felt terrible that she had been degraded by such a cruel woman. And he had been engaged to her. Tarble wondered what that said about him…

"I'm sorry," he apologized, smiling sadly. "I didn't mean for you to be in the middle of that. Is there any way I can make it up to you?"

Gure was flabbergasted. There was nothing Tarble needed to make up for, not from where she was sitting. She heard his words, _all_ of them. He had just stood up for her to someone he used to have feelings for, had claimed to _love_ her to an outsider. Gure was no stranger to insults that made her feel less of herself, but she could always shake them off because she knew it was her own doing. Still, it meant so much to her that Tarble had been so enraged for her, that he defended her, that he _chose_ her.

"You already did," she admitted. "I…"

She stopped herself before she could respond to his confession, panic taking over her heart. Mentally, she cursed herself. It had been so long since she had her own episode akin to those her students experienced. As soon as she was about to admit that she shared his feelings, she froze up. She was too nervous, too scared to tell him. It didn't make any sense.

Tarble was unfazed, his eyes full of understanding as he observed Gure's timid form. He knew what she was about to say before she became paralyzed. His expression softened, his grip on his hand loosening so he could rub her knuckle with his thumb. It brought her back to reality. Unfortunately, it also brought guilt to her eyes.

Regardless, Tarble's heart soared, and he was not at all worried that she didn't respond now. His confession had taken her by surprise, and she had just been accosted by his ex. The least he could do was give her time to process. Still, the love he had for her burst through his chest, and he could no longer contain himself. Tarble stood up, and leaning over the table he kissed her passionately, his lips gently caressing hers. They were so in their moment that they were both able to ignore the protests and disturbed calls of the other restaurant patrons. Tarble didn't care. He was with the woman he loved. No one else mattered.

* * *

Goten was shaking with anticipation. All day, he had been going over things in his mind regarding his relationship with Valese. He had enlisted Trunks for rehearsing help, practicing how he planned to ask his girlfriend to be his dates for the wedding. Trunks had offered him a listening ear, but he had chuckled at Goten for his nerves, adding some comic relief to the endeavor. Goten knew he was being ridiculous, but this just needed to be perfect. When Trunks asked him what he was so nervous for, Goten had shrugged him off.

He already knew Valese was going to the wedding. She and her father were invited, after all. They were together, so Valese probably just assumed they were going together. He didn't need to go through all of this rigamarole and stress for something that was a sure thing. Goten, though, had a secret, and he didn't want to tell anyone, even Trunks, just yet. He would after he asked Valese to go with him. If he could do this, then he could do anything.

He showed up at Valese's house, the girl outside watering the plants before the sun finally set. She heard his footsteps and her attention shot over to him. Startled by his appearance, a hand rest over her chest. It was so late, practically dusk, and her boyfriend was starting at her like a deer caught in a headlight. Her mind raced, concerned that there was something seriously wrong. She nearly dropped her watering can as she ran over to him, her hand about to graze his cheek.

Goten gently caught her wrist before she could stroke his face. If he had let her, his mind would have been clouded. He needed a clear head. He needed to do this _now._ "Will you go to the wedding with me, as my date?" The question left him, almost robotically so. Valese was stupefied.

The brunette gaped at her boyfriend for a moment before she smiled and laughed lightly, music to Goten's ears. "Of course I'll go with you, silly. Is that why you looked so worried?"

A forced laugh escaped her spiky-haired boyfriend as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, yeah, you caught me," he lied, but he still looked incredibly anxious.

Valese didn't know what was going on, but Goten had come all this way just to see her, and it was getting dark. She could already tell that Goten would be okay, despite whatever was bothering him. If it became major, he would tell her. She trusted that. For now, she just wanted to keep him safe and be with him. "Would you like to stay the night? We could just watch some movies and relax."

Expression softening, Goten allowed his arm to fall back to his side. "Yeah," he agreed, his voice distant. "That sounds good. Just let me call my mom."

His girlfriend nodded before leading him into the house. As he made a call to his mother, Valese went to inform her father of their late night visitor. While Valese and Walsh set up the guest room for him, Goten ended up texting Trunks. **Hey, man. I'm going to eventually need your help with something.**

A response came back saying, **Well, that wasn't at all cryptic.** Goten nearly laughed at his best friend's sarcasm.

He decided to give his friend a little more to go one without giving it all away. **I just want to start planning something special for Valese,** he confided. **I'll talk to you about it at the beach.**

 **Is everything okay?** Trunks questioned, probably sensing Goten's anxiety from something he said.

Goten smiled fondly. **Never better.**

He decided to silence his phone for the night and focus on enjoying some time with his girlfriend. Summer vacation had officially started and it was time to relax and enjoy. There was already so much of which to look forward.


	53. Chapter 52

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

See the ending A/N for some news. For now, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

When Vegeta had contacted him, Goku had been surprised. It was even more surprising when his best friend's fiancé was inviting him to go out Friday night with him and Raditz. Goku had voiced his surprise, asking why, and Vegeta had answered in his abrasive way telling him he didn't need to have a reason. Besides, it sounded like a good opportunity to get out of the house. He knew Bulma would be encouraging him to go out, even if he wasn't that thrilled around crowds. He would be with his brother and Vegeta. It would be a good evening.

So, there they were, sitting at a busy pizzeria. Goku had thought his brother and Vegeta would choose a bar. That was more their scene. It had been Vegeta's suggestion, Raditz had told him, which actually touched Goku. It meant he was taking his anxiety into consideration. He wasn't always comfortable going to bars.

"So, what's up?" Goku questioned, sensing that there was more to Vegeta's random invitation.

The waitress had just delivered their drinks and pizza when Goku abruptly asked. The group had been talking about random topics, Vegeta waiting until they had relaxed a bit before he got straight to business. It seemed Goku really was really perceptive. Vegeta was actually impressed the younger man had gathered he wanted to talk about something.

"I'm just going to cut to the chase," Vegeta stated. "Bulma and I would like you to be ushers at the wedding."

It wasn't the most surprising declaration, but Goku's eyes still widened comically. He knew Vegeta accepted his friendship with Bulma, and that was enough for him, but for him to ask for him to be in the wedding, even if Bulma had something to do with it, moved him. "Really?"

Vegeta's brow quirked, slightly taken aback by the amazement in the man's tone. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want you in the wedding party," he stated, hoping that would erase whatever doubts or thoughts appeared in his fiancé's friend's mind.

"So we'll be ushers," Raditz agreed, accepting for both of them. "Who's your best man?"

"Trunks is," Vegeta informed them. Honestly, he could think of no one better suited for the job. Trunks had become a son in Vegeta's mind and heart, and he was the one Vegeta wanted to stand up for him. He had gone with him to pick out a ring, helped him with the proposal, and he was so incredibly excited. Vegeta remembered when he asked Trunks, he and the teenager hanging out at home. They had been working on dinner, Vegeta teaching Trunks some more complex cooking techniques. Trunks had baked a lot with his mother and knew how to cook for himself, but Vegeta wanted to teach him how to cook more elegant dishes. Trunks had been eager to learn.

Out of nowhere, Vegeta asked the boy how he'd feel about being his best man, and Trunks froze, as shocked as Goku seemed to be when he asked him to be an usher. _"Are you serious?"_ he had asked. _"I thought you would have asked Raditz."_

Vegeta had thought about it. Raditz had pulled him off a terrible path. He was his best and most trusted friend, and he knew he would have accepted that role easily. The businessman still wanted Raditz up there with him, but he couldn't see anyone but Trunks by his side. This was important to him, and he knew that throughout his life it would be important to the boy as well. He had answered him honestly. _"It can only be you."_ Trunks had accepted, a joyful and eager smile plastered on his face for the rest of the day. That smile made his decision even more worth it.

"I'm surprised you didn't go for Tarble," Raditz stated. "He _is_ her brother, after all."

That was true, Vegeta knew, but he had already asked Trunks before he ever considered Tarble. He hadn't been too concerned, but he broached the topic with his fiancé. The woman had actually be relieved he hadn't asked Tarble, and there was a reason for that. "Don't worry about him," he responded, taking a swig of his beer. "Bulma has a special job for him."

* * *

At a nice restaurant on the other side of the city, Bulma was meeting with her brother for dinner. It had been a while since it had just been the two of them, and Bulma was happy that he accepted her invitation. She had something very important to ask him. Still, she didn't want to jump into it right away for she would then be completely emotional by the time they're meal came. So for the first half-hour, the two simply caught up on the happenings of their lives, their jobs, Trunks's and Mai's report cards, and everything simple.

"So, how is it going with Gure?" Bulma asked her brother. A smile alit his face, and it was so infectious that Bulma grinned too. "That good, huh?"

"She's amazing," Tarble replied. "I never thought I'd meet someone like her. Can you believe that right at the beginning of Trunks's school year, I was engaged to Maron?"

"Please, don't remind me of that woman," Bulma grumbled, feeling completely sick to her stomach. She still couldn't get over the fact that the one she had cheated on her brother with was none other than he longtime ex.

Tarble nodded. "That's how I feel now, too," Tarble remarked. "Even when I ended things with her, it felt right. Our relationship was too much work on my part. With Gure, it just feels easy, right. Like even with all of the craziness that happens, I don't feel like I'm handling it alone, you know?"

"Yeah," Bulma said fondly, thinking of Vegeta. "I know."

"We ran into Maron not too long ago," Tarble remarked, his eyes becoming angry. Bulma actually looked slightly concerned. She rarely ever saw her brother angry.

"What happened?" she asked warmly.

Her brother shook his head in disbelief. "She was horrible," Tarble remarked, his fists clenching. "I couldn't believe I was so blind to it before, how shallow she was. And, I mean, I guess I wasn't really blind to it. Bulma…how could I be with that?"

"You loved her," Bulma offered. "I mean, I loved Yamcha way back when, even though he wasn't right for me. I continued to go out with him even though I never felt comfortable staying overnight as his place or having him stay at mine. He and I were completely different people, just like you and Maron, and I was with him for a long time. The signs were there from the beginning that we wouldn't work, but I genuinely cared about him." She did her best not to think of the fact that her ex had been with her brother's ex, even if it was a one-time thing. "And because of those feelings, it's easy to look passed the behaviors we don't approve of, but the blinders come up at some point when it's not the right person."

"She insulted Gure," Tarble uncharacteristically growled, his fist going white as his heated eyes met his sister's. "I don't think I had ever been that angry before. You should have seen the look on her face. I thought it would have ended right then and there, and it scared me."

"Oh honey," Bulma soothed, placing a hand on her brother's fist to calm him. "Gure will be fine. I know how rude Maron could be, and she was probably jealous that she let a wonderful guy like you go. I'm sure Gure knows that, too. She's a smart woman, and I doubt she'd be as foolish as Maron and let you go for something you have no control over."

A smile of relief appeared on Tarble's face. "You're right. But anyway, I have to say, I've learned a lot from you and Vegeta."

"What do you mean?" Bulma questioned.

"The two of you fit, you work together," Tarble explained. "Even when things are tough, you have each other and the difficult becomes easier. I feel that way with Gure, so I know not to let that go."

It was Bulma's turn to beam brightly at her brother. "Then I'm incredibly happy that I had to send you to talk to her about Trunks," Bulma replied.

"How is Trunks, by the way?" Tarble asked. "I still can't believe all that happened this year."

Neither could the mother as she thought about all her son and his friends had endured. Between Zarbon, the court case, the wrongful imprisonment, Goten's near mental break, and the fight with Frieza Cold's son, she was thankful that Mai was on the road to recovery and her little boy was still the same just with a few scars. He confided in her some of what happened, finally, months later. Vegeta was with him when he did. Apparently Trunks had been confiding more about his imprisonment with Vegeta than her in the beginning, mainly to spare her concern. "He's doing all right," she told her brother. "He still has a lot he's dealing with. It wasn't easy on him before Vegeta's lawyer got him out of jail, so he still deals with the memories, but most of his energy has gone into finishing off the year, helping Mai through her PTSD, and the wedding."

"I bet he's excited about that," Tarble stated, smiling sadly. He felt bad for his happy-go-lucky nephew, and he still couldn't believe half of what happened to him. It seemed he was being forced to grow up too early just like Bulma had with Goku's hospitalization after a panic attack in high school followed by their father's treatment towards her and then the tragic circumstances that befell Goku's father. Still, the one thing Tarble knew was that Trunks would be giddy over his mother's upcoming marriage. "I am too, to be honest. As is mom. I'm still amazed that she's finally getting along with yours."

It was what Bulma always wanted after her father passed. She knew Launch would never understand the way she and her mother saw her father. Launch would never accept their truth, but Bulma had always had the sincere hope that Launch would be willing to put that aside. Her mother was very kind towards Launch. There were times she was interested in hearing what Launch had to say in the conversation, but Bunny ultimately knew what Bulma did. It wouldn't change the past, wouldn't change how her daughter had suffered, and Launch would never listen to their side of things. It would only lead to unnecessary turmoil that none of them needed. The other woman hadn't been bringing it up lately. Instead, she was letting it go, it seemed, and actually trying to get along with her mother. It couldn't have come at a better time.

"You've come a long way, too," Tarble continued. "Dad would be so proud of you."

A pang struck Bulma's heart, but not in a bad way. Honestly, Tarble was the only one she could call Trunks dad around. Usually she took to saying what she had in the past, either calling him her father or by his name. Likewise, he was the only one who could get away with saying that without feelings of anxiety curling in her.

She believed what Tarble was saying, her baby brother who was now so grown up. As the thought entered her mind, she was starting to feel her emotions welling up. She had planned to wait until after the food came, but she was already welling up. She decided she was going to have to get her question out before she really started bawling.

Tarble noticed her distress and took her hand. "What's wrong?" he asked her. "Did I say something wrong?" He really hoped that his words hadn't upset his sister in any way.

Bulma shook her head in response, assuring him he hadn't. Then she spoke up, voicing her inner thoughts. "Speaking of dad," she began, "he's not here to walk me down the aisle. I was wondering…Tarble, would you be willing-?"

"Say no more, Bulma," Tarble interrupted. "I'd be happy to." He grinned at his sister, his grip on her hand tightening. Bulma laughed through her tears, calling the waiter over to get their order in now that the emotional part was over. The man was looking at the woman like something was wrong with her, but Tarble never stopped smiling even when he released her hand. He couldn't believe Bulma had asked him to stand up for her in place of their father. It both honored and humbled him, and he could think of nothing else he'd rather do than show his support of hers and Vegeta's relationship. Besides, he knew his father would be happy for her despite whatever it was he had done to her through the years. He would want to be there to make things right. The way Tarble saw it, he would be fulfilling both his father's and sister's desires. He didn't even need to think twice about it.

* * *

Vegeta was sitting in the living room of his mother's new house arms crossed and tapping his finger against his shoulder. She had finally settled in, many of the employees still coming in daily to see her and help her out with the housework. His mother had thought long and hard about it. All of the staff that had lived at the mansion had become like family, and just because she needed to let go didn't mean she wanted them to be out of work. Despite them staying around, she did do quite a bit of housework herself, trying to reestablish some form of independence. Though not as large as the mansion, there were still plenty of rooms for his mother and at least the butler, Salza, to live, and a couple of guest rooms in case Vegeta and Bulma ever wanted to stay with the kids. She never voiced that hope, but he knew. She really was never going to push for it if he didn't broach the topic. He hadn't yet. He had something else in mind.

"I'm so glad you called," Kalina stated, bringing in a tray with sandwiches, cookies, and glasses of lemonade. "Here, I made lunch."

"You made lunch?" Vegeta questioned. It had been a long time since his mother had been the one to prepare a meal. "Getting bored?"

"No, it's not that," she replied, smiling. "Well, okay, maybe a little. I was so used to being taken care of that I want to get myself back to how I used to be before…" A small pause of silence rested between them before she continued. "In any case, I wanted to make my son lunch, today."

"Hm," Vegeta hummed in response, taking the plate holding a sandwich. The two began to eat in silence, Vegeta avoiding eye contact with the woman. Kalina never took her eyes off of him smiling this joyous grin. It made Vegeta uncomfortable, but at least his presence there brought the woman some happiness. That was something he never deemed possible since his childhood. "It's good," he told her awkwardly, gesturing to the sandwich in his hand. Kalina nodded and picked up her own meal.

After they were done eating, Vegeta reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket. He pulled out an envelope and presented it to the woman. "What is that?"

"An invitation," Vegeta told her, handing it to her. Kalina took it and looked into her son's eyes. "Open it."

Kalina did open it, delicately separating the paper of the envelope as if the whole invitation was an important treasure. As she took the parchment out of the envelope, her eyes scanned over the words. She couldn't help but beam with pride as she read the words that her son would be married to Bulma. Kalina adored the woman who had succeeded in stealing and healing her son's broken heart. She was so incredibly blessed to be a part of any of it. Her eye then caught something else, and she looked to Vegeta with surprise shining in her eyes. "Vegeta, what is this?" she questioned, pointing to the spot where it said her name plus a guest.

"It's something to think about," Vegeta answered coolly, still not making eye contact. "I'm not being heartless as I say this because, believe me, I speak from experience. It has been years since father's death. The two of you had a rocky marriage at best, even when I was gone. I know you love him, and I am not trying to push you into the arms of another man, not until you're ready. I think…I think you should consider moving on. I won't force you to do it, but it's unhealthy to not let go. You're starting to by finally leaving that prison, and I just wanted you to see that the option is there. I didn't see it until decades after Ella's death. She is still a part of me, but I had to be willing to open my heart to someone else. I got my stubbornness from both of you, so I just don't want you to be as closed off to the idea as I was."

His mother blinked a couple of times at him, completely astonished. That was probably the most emotional thing her son had said to her since he had allowed her back into his life. She knew he wasn't giving her a lecture or trying to force her to move on. Knowing what he suffered, she knew he was only looking out for her, wanting her to see a future where she didn't have to be alone. Her lips quirked into a smile, and she placed the invitation on the coffee table. "I will think about it," she replied, getting up from her seat.

Vegeta was expecting her to leave the room, honestly, when she stood. That was what he probably would have done. Instead, the woman walked over to him and place her hand on his shoulder. The man looked up to see her loving gaze. "Thank you, Vegeta, for your concerns and advice. You are a wonderful son, and I couldn't have asked for a better one."

After she praised him, Kalina left the room, probably to process the whole ordeal. As she was leaving, she called out to Vegeta, "Make yourself at home. I won't be long."

"Fine," Vegeta agreed, actually sitting back on the couch, attempting to relax. He was still just a bit tense when he was around his mother which was laughable, but at least everything was starting to get better between them. He took the plate of cookies and started snacking on them. He had to admit they were pretty good, and so was the lemonade. Honestly, the tastes of them caused a wave of nostalgia to wash over Vegeta. He was pretty sure his mother made them before, a long time ago on the weekends the two spent together. A bittersweet chuckle escaped him. It was the same.

* * *

While Vegeta was giving his mother an invitation, Bulma was out to lunch with all of her girl friends and Mai. She had planned to ask Chi Chi, Lime, and Gure to be bridesmaids, and they all accepted. Bulma informed Gure that Tarble would be walking down the aisle, and she asked the woman if she'd be okay with walking down alone. Gure had assured the woman that she didn't even need to be in the wedding. Bulma declared "nonsense" saying to the counselor that she was practically family. Gure had been taken aback and blushed, but she was honestly happy that Bulma saw her that way.

Then, Bulma turned to see a silent Mai drawing in her sketchbook at the table and smiled. She still remembered the day the young girl had come into her home, shy and troubled over accepting her son's invitation. The girl had been so scared back then, trapped in her tumultuous life and never seeing the other side, a good side. She remembered when she found out about Mai, how she communicated her what-if scenario to Juu who thankfully had started finding more information immediately so Mai could start the process of being free. Zarbon was indeed a creep who used lies, charm, and money to hide who he was, but between her support, Vegeta's assistance, and both Mai's and Trunks's bravery, the man had finally been seen for the monster he truly was. There was no way he could hurt them ever again.

The PTSD was definitely something Mai didn't need to deal with, but she had gotten so much better in such a short time. Bulma knew personally that processing emotional abuse was hard enough. She still struggled, and it had been decades. Mai had both physical and emotional abuse to reflect on, but she knew the girl would be okay. The worst of her episodes were happening far less than before, Mai focusing on helping others in her lunch group and enjoying life to the fullest with her son. Bulma was immensely proud of her.

As if sensing Bulma's eyes on her, Mai looked up from her art timidly before she smiled. "What?"

"I have a special job for you, Mai," Bulma told her, her tone warm and loving. "How would you feel about being my maid of honor?"

The raven-haired teen's eyes widened, her mouth gaping open slightly. "I-I-I-I…" she stammered nervously. "Why are you asking when you can ask one of your other friends?"

Bulma only giggled over her reaction, placing a hand on the girl's. "Part of it is because Trunks will be Vegeta's best man," she admitted, "but the other part is that I truly consider you as a daughter." Mai looked even more astounded by Bulma's confession. "I have ever since you became so close with my son and even more when you started living with us, and I would be honored to have my daughter standing at my side while my son stands at Vegeta's. What do you say?"

What kind of question was that? Mai chuckled as tears filled her eyes. She got up from her seat, giving Bulma a hug. She hugged the woman so tightly. "I'd love to," she accepted, the tears flowing freely. She laughed again before she apologized, "I'm sorry for crying."

Bulma stroked the girl's long, black hair and whispered to her, "There's no reason to apologize for that. I love you, sweetheart. I'm so happy you said 'yes.'"

The other women at the table watched the scene, exchanging knowing smiles. Chi Chi laughed at herself, for she caught herself wiping away a few tears of her own.

* * *

Vegeta had come home finding that Bulma was still out with the girls. Trunks was home by himself, just watching some T.V. His expression lit up when he saw Vegeta enter the room. "Hey, dad," he greeted casually. "Mom and Mai are still out. They decided to go shopping with mom's friends." His answer was a curt nod. "How was everything at your mom's?"

"It was fine," Vegeta replied. Honestly, it had gone fairly well. After his mother had returned, the two of them somehow found themselves talking about important matters with the company. His mother had simply asked how everything was going at work, and Vegeta filled her in. He had told her some basic information, and they somehow started discussing Bulma's project. When that topic came up, Vegeta had gotten very quiet and his expression darkened, his mind going to Frieza.

It was the first time he confessed to his mother his anxieties with Frieza. Kalina had heard of the businessman long before his name came up during Trunks's trial regarding Zarbon. Vegeta explained that the man had been following his progress since he managed his own company before he sold and continuously contacted him once he took the reins at Ouji Corp. For the longest time, Trunks kept the man at bay, but during the conference, he explained to Kalina that Frieza had expressed interest in going into the weapons trade together, which Vegeta immediately shot down. Then, when Bulma started working on her project, even before she had even made it public, Frieza wanted to work together for a cut. Vegeta rejected him, most likely angering him, and then Bulma's stepmother warned him not to make the man angry. Since then, Frieza approached Bulma without an appointment, offering her a position at his company, and Bulma refused. The man practically threatened her, not in so many words, but in his tone. Bulma was worried that Frieza would eventually come after them. The kids were already having trouble with his son.

Kalina had offered Vegeta a listening ear, never interrupting, and when he finished telling her, she expressed to her son that if they were that concerned about Frieza, a restraining order should be put in effect. It would be difficult to enforce at business functions and conferences; however, if they could limit the amount of contact Frieza could make then it would be better. Vegeta didn't know if they were at restraining order level yet. He knew he was at the he wanted to rip Frieza apart level if the bastard ever decided to go near his wife-to-be. Still, he thanked her for the suggestion. He would talk about it with Bulma later.

"Have you eaten?" Vegeta asked Trunks. The teenager shook his head, glancing over to the television with an impish smile. Vegeta chuckled and shook his head. It was moments like these where he saw Trunks's childlike charm. "Come on, let's go."

"Go where?" Trunks asked, head cocked to the side.

"Your mother would kill me if I didn't get you fed so late in the day," Vegeta remarked. "I'm taking you to lunch."

* * *

Vegeta took Trunks to a burger joint a few blocks over, and while there he listened to Trunks chatter about summer plans he wanted to make with his friends and him and Bulma. It was going to be the boy's first summer with a father and a girlfriend, and it was going to be Mai's first summer being able to do anything that regular kids would do since the death of her mother. Plus, they had the upcoming wedding, and both Vegeta and Trunks couldn't wait for that moment for a similar reason. They were already a family, but soon it would be completely and legally official.

"Well, look who's here."

Coal and blue eyes fell on the intruder, Vegeta glaring heated at Ginyu. It had been so long since he heard from the man, and he was not expecting him to show up when he Trunks with him. He cast the boy a sideward glance, Trunks having jumped at the sound of the unknown voice before his brows furrowed in confusion. Vegeta knew Trunks would want to ask who the guy was, but he wanted to limit their interaction. He spoke up to prevent Trunks from asking. "What do you want, Ginyu?" He saw the recognition and concern enter Trunks's eyes from when he told the boy about his past. Instead of looking away from Ginyu and just letting the adults talk, Trunks flashed the man a cold glare. Vegeta mentally sighed. He guessed he couldn't blame Trunks for his reaction.

"I wanted to see if you gave my…proposal…any thought," Ginyu stated, grinning when Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "I need an answer soon."

"I already gave you an answer," Vegeta replied. "Not. Interested."

Ginyu's feigned geniality vanished abruptly. His eyes finally shifted to Trunks, the teenager holding his gaze showing no fear towards Ginyu's glare. "Who's the kid, anyway?"

"None of your concern," Vegeta immediately countered. "I already told you I'm not interested in being your group's benefactor. I cannot be clearer. Find someone else."

"Come on, Vegeta, it was a long time ago," Ginyu goaded. "We looked after you for the longest time."

"Is that what you call it?" Vegeta grumbled flatly. "In any case, I owe you nothing. I already paid you back with me…service. I'm done. Now, if you'll excuse us."

Vegeta moved to get, and Trunks followed suit, but Ginyu quickly shifted to block the teenager's escape. The older man glowered down at the boy, trying to intimidate him. Trunks merely met his gaze with hardened eyes full of disgust and hate. It occurred Ginyu that, looking at this boy, he had flashbacks to a young Vegeta giving him that look. He smirked, never breaking eye contact with the teen. "I'll be seeing you around."

Ginyu was the one to walk away, and when he left the restaurant, both Vegeta and Trunks took their seats again. Vegeta huffed in frustration, glaring at a spot on the table. Trunks cast him a worried glance. "What was that all about?"

"It was nothing," Vegeta said, attempting to assure the boy. Then he added, "It looks like Jay is going to need to file a restraining order." Trunks was appeared alarmed when Vegeta said this, but the man once again attempted to assuage his concerns. "Don't worry, Trunks. It will be okay. I'm handling it."

"Okay," Trunks whispered, though there wasn't a shred of doubt in his voice. He truly trusted Vegeta with all his heart. As long as his father would be okay, Trunks would allow him to deal with his old associate. Vegeta knew him best, after all. So, to try to distract the older man from his frustrations and the serious and troubled aura that befell them, he decided to change the subject to something more lighthearted. "So, you'll never guess where I took Mai for our latest date."

Seeing what Trunks was doing, Vegeta quickly ate up the new topic. "Hm? Where?"

The teenager grinned, happy Vegeta took the bait. "I took her dancing," he proudly said. "I'm really thankful for the lessons. Mai was really impressed."

"Hn." Vegeta smirked at that. "It was nothing."

At that moment, the waiter came to take their meal orders. The topic change was welcome; however, it did little to calm Vegeta. The man was content, just listening to the simple happenings of Trunks's life. In his mind, though, he was already plotting how to deal with Ginyu. It didn't sit well with him that now he had indirectly threatened his fiancé, and now he had done the same with their son. Vegeta refused to let any part of his past affect his present and future. He hadn't seen the last of Ginyu, but Ginyu had no idea of what Vegeta was capable.

* * *

A/N: Well…seems like Ginyu isn't going away. But next chapter, we'll have ourselves a wedding, so it will be a nice, lax chapter compared to the foreboding endings of the last two. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.

And now, I have some exciting news. I'm starting a DeviantArt exclusive series that may interest any of you Pokémon fans out there :D I'm not sure if you've heard of something called a nuzlocke challenge. Anyway, TeamFourStar inspired me to do more of those, but they can be frustrating at times, so I enlisted my best friend to do one with me, and while I'm playing and getting frustrated, he's helping me with names and giving our character and his team character, so I decided to write a story and post it solely on DeviantArt (which could lead to more stories like that in the future). Anyway, if any of you are Pokémon fans, please check out the series. It will be in my DeviantArt Gallery under Pokémon Platinum Nuzlocke. You can watch me on there to get updates. And if you decide not to, that's okay too. ^^ Either way, thank you everyone for your support!


	54. Chapter 53

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Well, it took me a while to get to this chapter, and there's a huge reason I'll tell you now. Basically, something happened in life to cause me to work on future scenes. In about four or more chapters, I'll have a very lengthy A/N describing what happened. A lot of you readers have already gathered from our conversations that I have taken elements of my life and put it in a story where the character is living a different life from me. My lengthy A/N chapters ahead will be a more detailed description on how and why, but I will explain "the conversation" that Launch wants to have with Bulma, that whole thing was based on a conversation my stepmother wanted to have with me. Well, I decided that before I get into the chapter, I'd share the bad news. Where everyone was saying Launch's character needed to let it go, unfortunately, that was never going to happen. My stepmother trapped me into having the conversation twice this past week when I was going to my brother's Confirmation. I was completely blindsided, mainly because she had promised me it wouldn't happen until I was ready, and I was vehemently protesting. So…I tried to capture the main points of the two conversations in two future chapters (again, one with a lengthy A/N about what I was feeling that day, because I was in shock).

Anyway, now that my explanation for not dedicating time to the wedding chapter is out there, let's get into a wedding chapter.

Onward to better things!

* * *

Bulma took a deep breath, inhaling through her nose before letting out a contented sigh. Her eyes landed on the beautiful beach where she would be married in mere hours. She reflected on her memories of how she never thought this day would ever come. Back when she had had Trunks, she never saw a future with a man, and then Vegeta had just happened upon them one day. She smiled up at the vibrant morning clouds. God really had a mysterious way of making things happen. The way her life played out was nothing short of amazing, and soon she'd be able to share that with the love of her life.

Strong arms wrapped around her waist, and soon she felt her fiancé buried in her neck. She giggled, his nose tickling her skin. Her head tilted back to regard the man, and, just as she expected, Bulma found a slight smile on his features. "Good morning, Miss Hamasaki," he teased.

"Good morning, Mr. Kurobushi," Bulma played along. "You know, I think I rather like that name. I hope you wouldn't mind me taking it."

"It's big enough for the both of us," Vegeta sighed. "I'd like it very much if you did."

The couple laughed after Vegeta granted the woman a kiss. "We need to get ready," Bulma whispered. "It's a big day."

"I know," Vegeta agreed. "I'll get the kids up. You need to meet up with your mother and the others. The harpy told me she has you on a schedule."

Bulma laughed with so much mirth. Chi Chi had offered to help her with appointments before the ceremony so that she didn't have to worry about racing to get ready and managing everything. Honestly, it had been incredibly helpful, but giving Chi Chi full reign meant Bulma was on a tight schedule for the morning of her wedding. "I will see you later, Vegeta," Bulma cooed softly, hugging her fiancé tightly to her that it nearly knocked the wind out of him.

Vegeta was taken by surprise by the woman's abrupt movements, but the shock soon left his face. He grinned at her, placing his hand gently on her back. "I look forward to it, Bulma." He gripped her tightly. Honestly, like Bulma, Vegeta couldn't wait for the ceremony either. "I look forward to it."

* * *

Trunks was so ecstatic to be at the beach with his friends. His mother and Vegeta had kept their promise from when they were away at the conference, promising to bring Trunks there over the summer. Now, he and Mai were getting to enjoy the sun and surf with their friends. Of course, it was before the ceremony. So, honestly the teens were just there to enjoy the day.

They hadn't had much to do to get ready. Mai had opted just to wear her hair down, which Bulma agreed to. The teenager wasn't really up for going to salons and spas. Honestly, she just wanted to be a child for once, and so she was So they were at the beach while the adults were still getting ready for the wedding ceremony, enjoying themselves, all dressed up for the wedding. They had only been walking around, and really that's all they should have been doing, but Trunks had wanted to explore the beach more, and Goten and Gohan had been completely onboard with that idea.

The girls had warned them that it was a bad idea. Even Videl and Marron, both who normally would have been eager to explore all the nooks and crannies of the place, were trying to get the guys to hold off until the next day. Of course, despite the fact that they were going to be there for a few days, there were already a ton of activities lined up for them, and not one allowed for time to check out the tide pools.

"Come on, guys," Valese complained, calling out to him as he got closer to the small body of water. "You're going to get all wet and dirty."

"If you fall in, I'm selling you out to our mothers," Marron threatened. "Now, let's go!"

"Oh, we're fine," Trunks waved the woman off, getting closer. "See, I'm steady. I just wanna closer look, anyway."

"Yeah," Goten and Gohan agreed, the three guys kneeling down beside the tide pool.

Videl shook her head and turned her back, waving out her arms. "I can't watch this. I can't frigging watch this."

"Oh, he's right, they're okay," Mai finally surrendered. Truthfully, she found boys' desire, Trunks especially, cute. They really were like little kids deep inside. Really, it didn't seem like too horrible an idea. They were just curious.

"See, four against three," Gohan pointed out. "This is a great idea."

Well, it was a fine idea, until Goten playfully teased Trunks about how his head looked like the color of the sea star they found. Then, the two boys ended jokingly roughhousing, and they both fell into the pool.

"Well, can't say we didn't tell them so," Videl snarked. Valese and Marron couldn't help but nod in agreement, staring at the two boys in disbelief and concern.

Gohan sweat-dropped, scratching his cheek as he stood up from the sand, watching Trunks and Goten pull themselves out, the tuxes completely soak. "Um…mom is going to kill you dead…"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, bro," Goten huffed, looking at the sand covered suit. "Crap, I should have kept my mouth shut."

Out of nowhere, Goku, Tarble, and Broly appeared. "Hey, there you guys are," Goku stated. "I thought I heard y…" When he and the others rounded the corner and saw Trunks's and Goten's state of dress, they all gaped at them, paling. "Oh my God…"

"Eh…heh heh heh heh heh," Trunks laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "Um, hey, uncles…what's up?"

Then men did not dare to answer. They had no words for what they were witnessing, but they were certain the woman would have plenty.

* * *

"I can't believe how irresponsible you were!" Chi Chi scolded upon the teens' arrival at the nearby church where their mothers had been waiting.

Honestly, Trunks and Goten hadn't wanted to go there right away, hoping that Goku would let them escape Chi Chi's wrath for just a little bit, but the man had told them that they had to let the others know what happened. The teenagers sighed, but just went along with it. The sooner they got the yelling over with, the better. So, there they were with the raging woman, and Bulma ended up interrupting the tirade.

"Don't worry about it, Chi Chi," the blue-haired bride said, her voice light and not at all worried. "I know my son very well. He loves the beach and the water, so it doesn't surprise me what happened." She looked to the boys and grinned. "Just go back to the hotel. It's just across the street. I packed a couple extra tuxedos, just in case."

Chi Chi just gaped at the woman, while Trunks grinned at her. "Thanks, mom. You're the best."

"Now, hurry up before Aunt Chi rushes you out," Bulma teased.

"Right!" the two boys replied, racing out of the church.

Goku laughed and rubbed the back of his head. He looked to Tarble and Broly and said, "Well, crisis averted. Let's get back down there to greet guests."

"Sure," Broly replied, looking over to his friend. "You look beautiful, Bulma."

"Thank you," the bride replied. "I'm glad you decided to come."

Broly smiled and then left the room with Goku and Tarble. Honestly, he had been debating on whether or not he wanted to attend. He _wanted_ to be there, but he had never flown before in his life, and he was worried about being surrounded by so many people in a cramped plane and how he'd do. Bulma and Vegeta had been understanding, and they would have been fine if he had decided not to come to the ceremony. They were his family, now, though, so he knew he couldn't stay away. He wanted to show his support, and so he had actually come with Goku's family, everyone keeping him distracted and centered. He was truly happy that he came.

* * *

The boys returned from changing, now completely dry, and they intended to stay that way for the rest of the day. Trunks walked over to his mother, giving the woman a big hug and thanking her again. He whispered to her, "You look really pretty, mom," in a loving tone.

Bulma wrapped her arms around her son and replied, "Thank you. You look very handsome yourself, son." She then planted a big kiss on his cheek.

"Mo-om," Trunks whined, but laughed, jokingly wiping her kiss away. The could hear their friends and the other teenagers chuckle at the scene. Bulma laughed too, moving away from her son but squeezing his hand. "Don't say anything to your father about how I look. I want to surprise him."

Her son winked at her, a smile on his face. "I won't say anything," he promised. "I'm just really excited and happy that soon we'll legally be considered a family." Honestly, Trunks had already considered Vegeta his father, but soon the whole world would too. He couldn't wait for that.

"Speaking of," Bulma said knowingly, "you should go meet up with your father before the ceremony. I'm sure he'll want to see you."

Trunks beamed at her and nodded. "Okay!" he chimed before he looked over to Mai. "You good here?"

"Oh course I am," Mai assured him. "I'll see you soon."

The boy nodded before taking his leave, and that was the moment Chi Chi chose to chorale her sons and their dates to leave also. "Just go and find some place to sit. Your father and uncle will show you." They agreed to go, leaving the woman all alone again once more.

Bunny looked to her daughter and smiled brightly at her. "The kids seem just as eager for you and Vegeta to be married," she observed. "That's so sweet."

It was also an understatement, Bulma joked in her mind. Truthfully, Trunks had been eager from the day she met Vegeta, believing he was the most amazing man, which, in actuality, he was. Mai had also been very excited for both Bulma and Trunks, feeling in her heart that they deserved that love in their life. When they accepted the roles as best man and maid of honor, they took it seriously, going as far as to throw the adults their bachelor/bachelorette parties. Honestly, Bulma had been telling her mother, Launch, and her friends about it earlier. Of course, it was low-key being planned by teenagers and all. Mai planned a slumber party for Bulma, all the bridesmaids and Valese and Videl staying over and doing makeovers while watching cheesy romance movies. On Vegeta's end, Trunks conspired with Raditz to do a barbeque at Vegeta's old apartment. It was also sort of like a sleepover, but it was a bit different. They watched a lot of sports movies, action, and stupid comedy. They also had some drinks, Vegeta allowing Trunks to try his first beer, the men keeping it there little secret, for the most part. Vegeta had informed Bulma, hoping he hadn't crossed some line, but Bulma was willing to look the other way. Trunks really hadn't liked it and only drank it as some sort of rite of passage and bonding thing Bulma wouldn't even try to understand. Plus, they had been responsible about it, so she couldn't be mad. That was probably as crazy as it would have gotten.

And now, a week later from that, she and Vegeta were going to be married. Trunks was right. Soon, they would legally be considered a family, and Bulma could not be prouder or more jubilant.

* * *

Vegeta was alone in another room, fixing up his tie before he put on his black jacket. He looked at himself in the mirror, serious before smirking. There was nothing to say except that he was ready to meet his bride, his soon-to-be wife. He didn't want to rush through the ceremony, but he couldn't wait until it was over so that he could declare to the world that he and Bulma had finally connected. They would forever belong to each other, and he couldn't be happier. He had a very interesting life ahead of him that would be full of adventure and love. _Just like you wanted it, Ella. I hope you're happy._

His eyes went over to the table though, landing on the box his mother had given him when they were cleaning out his father's belongings. He had brought the cufflinks with him, debating back and forth on whether or not he should wear them. His father always had, and his mother had said the man would have wanted him to have them, but Vegeta still was struggling to get passed it all. He didn't think he could wear them, not today, not yet and possibly not ever.

A knock on the door distracted him, and Trunks came in, grinning sheepishly. "Hey, dad," he greeted. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," Vegeta admitted, actually thankful for the interruption. The last thing he needed today was to have a mini meltdown before his wedding. "I take it you were with your mother?"

"I was," Trunks said, but then he waved his arms out in front of him, "and I can absolutely not tell you how she looks. Her request."

Vegeta chuckled and shook his head. "That's fine," he replied. He would never challenge the woman on her desires. Besides, he would soon see her for himself. He knew she wouldn't be anything less than a knockout. He then saw Trunks's eyes lingering on the open box of cufflinks. "Yes?"

"What are those?" the teenager asked.

Vegeta's good mood dissipated only slightly. He decided to take a seat next to his son. "Those…" he spoke evenly, "are my father's cufflinks. He used to wear them to every business function and any formal gathering, telling me that they represented the strength of the Oujis. I used to roll my eyes every time I saw his wear them. He had always said I would wear them one day when I was 'worthy enough.'" Vegeta shook his head. "My mother gave them to me, saying I should have them, but I can't decide what to do with them yet."

Trunks blinked at the man a couple times, and then an idea came into the man's mind. He never understood the keepsake, thinking his father's words to be empty and petty, but they were still a keepsake. If Vegeta didn't want them, honestly the one the most deserving to wear them was sitting right in front of him. "You should have them," he said to Trunks, the teenager's eyes widening. "You should wear them for the wedding since I can't bring myself to wear them."

"Are you sure?" Trunks asked, completely flabbergasted. From what Vegeta said, they were special. Even if his father had been kind of an ass about the strength part and Vegeta's worth, they were still something the man had treasured and wanted to pass onto his only son.

Vegeta answered Trunks with a nod and flashed him a half-smile. "It is only fitting that _my son_ have them."

His words made Trunks beam with pride, an overwhelming amount of emotion washing over the teenager. He tried to avoid it, but he ended up allowing a tear to escape him. He forced a bright smile on his face to hide his emotional moment, looking almost exactly like his mother. That thought alone brought peace to Vegeta's mind. He really had two of the best people in the world in his life. Honestly, he was glad they were alone, Goku and Raditz handling the ushering.

"I have a gift for you," Vegeta told the teenager, surprising him. "It's customary for the groom to give a gift to his best man."

"You just did," Trunks pointed out, not that he wouldn't be grateful.

Vegeta stood up, walking over to a box he had on one of the tables. "That wasn't planned. I had something else that I wanted to give you."

So, Trunks was handed the box, unsure of what could be inside. It was light, so he knew it wasn't anything massive, not that he needed or wanted anything like that. Slowly and delicately, he decided to tear the paper. Vegeta was watching him closely, and Trunks could only assume that what was in the box was very important to his father.

Once he opened the box, Trunks was staring at a bunch of paperwork. He looked to Vegeta, perplexed. "What's this?"

"Read it," Vegeta ordered lightly.

So Trunks listened, and as he began to read the documentation, he realized what it was, his mouth dropping open as his eyes met Vegeta's, searching them. "Seriously?"

Vegeta smirked at the boy. "Seriously."

Trunks was so happy, he could hardly contain his joy. In the box was paperwork that indicated that Vegeta had legally adopted Trunks, his mother having signed off on it weeks ago. He threw his arms around his father, the older man hugging him back knowing how much the boy really needed this. "I'm honored to be your son," Trunks murmured, his voice raw with emotion.

Vegeta replied with sincerity. "I'm honored, Trunks, to be your father."

They allowed themselves to be emotional just for the moment because then they heard the church bell ring. They looked to each other, recovering from that moment, and they went down into the church to meet everyone on the beach. The bell chimed twice. It was time for the ceremony to begin.

* * *

As it neared two, many made it to the outdoor seating in the sand. The waves crashed in the background, and a warm breeze blew. The sun was shining. It was such a beautiful day and beautiful place for a wedding. Goku and Raditz and directed Gohan, Goten, Videl, and Valese to their seats by Valese's father. Walsh was given a quick hug by his daughter before she turned her attention to Goten, the boy listening intently as she spoke. He couldn't help but smile at seeing his daughter happy. She had been struggling a lot lately with her mother. Now, though, wasn't the time to dwell on that.

Launch and Bunny came out of the church, both finding Vegeta's mother. Kalina was sitting with her guest whom she decided to bring. Nappa had agreed to go with her having been one of her oldest friends. The mother hoped Vegeta wouldn't mind her choice. She knew he was fine with Nappa, but this wasn't the kind of moving on her son may have meant. There were no romantic feelings between the two, just years and years of understanding. That was all she could afford to do at this time. Still, she wanted to show Vegeta she respected his gesture.

Bunny took a seat next to Kalina noting that Launch paused for a moment. Now was the moment Launch had to choose to sit next to Bunny or next to Nappa. Kalina looked between the two women for a moment when Tarble came over and whispered something in his mother's ear. No one heard it except for Launch and Bunny, the man telling his mother to just sit down and do it for Bulma. It seemed that where Launch had become civil with Bunny, she still wasn't over certain feelings of animosity. Bunny wasn't going to let that bother her. Today was her daughter's and Vegeta's day. Instead of concerning herself with Launch's reaction, Bunny turned to Kalina and decided to talk with her about the excitement they both felt to have each other in their family.

Raditz had shown Broly to his seat, the man sitting next to Pilaf towards the back, both having requested it. Pilaf honestly didn't understand why he had been invited. He knew that Bulma had become Mai's guardian before her emancipation. He knew that Mai was here at the wedding. Still, other than Mai, Pilaf really had no connection to the family. Where he was honored to be invited, he almost said "no." His brother had caused Bulma's family so much pain, and so he felt a bit out of place. When he called to give his RSVP, he had been stopped by Bulma's excitement. She had told him that she and Vegeta just wanted friends and family there, and that was when Pilaf had realized that he had been adopted into the group of friends without even realizing it. He decided to just accept it, regardless of what Zarbon had done. It seemed to him that his seatmate could relate. He had been adopted by the family also, despite what his father had done to the family.

When the bell sounded, Goku and Raditz were alerted, looking up. There were still some of their friends making their way towards their seats. Gine sent her boys away, saying she would finish the job of sending Krillin, his wife, and his brother-in-law to theirs. Goku smiled and thanked their mother, he and Raditz rushing back into the church to meet the bridesmaids, Trunks, and Vegeta.

The pastor came out with Vegeta, moving to the front of the seating, Vegeta looking back at the church as he patiently waited. He saw Trunks and Mai in the back at the ready, his son leaning over to hit a button on some stereo to start the music.

As it began, he and Mai looped arms, the two making their way down the aisle with smiles on their faces, though Vegeta noticed them both blushing slightly and smirked. They probably weren't used to so much attention being on them like that. When they made it to the front, Trunks took his place at Vegeta's side, and Mai moving opposite of them. Following them, Raditz and Lime made their way down the aisle, Lime's two boys by Gine greeting her making everyone chuckle and Lime both laugh and hide her face behind her hair. Raditz squeezed her hand in reassurance before he released her so they could go to their opposite positions. Goku and Chi Chi came next, Goku whispering his thanks into his wife's ear for helping keep his best friend calm throughout the day, the two exchanging smiles knowing just how important this day was to the woman. Lastly, Gure made her way to join them, walking down with a beautiful rose bouquet that matched the other bridesmaids.

And when she reached the rest of the wedding party, the music changed, and everyone stood.

* * *

Bulma had remained in her room when the others went down, taking a moment to look at herself in the mirror. She was smiling so brightly and looked so vibrant in her white dress. Her cerulean locks were all in place in her updo, a bun with loose curls. For a moment, she just needed to breathe and take it all in.

She was getting married today.

There were days she still couldn't believe it, but she wouldn't trade the time she had spent with Vegeta for anything. He had been everything she hoped to find and more. It didn't mean life was always perfect, but Vegeta made life easier. He shouldered her burdens, watched out for her son, and loved them both as if he had been with them their whole lives. When he broached the subject of legally adopting Trunks as his son, she both could and couldn't believe it. She knew Vegeta saw Trunks as his son, but to want to claim him as his was just about the best thing he could do for both of them. She finally had her partner and love of her life, and her son finally had his father.

There was a light wrapping of knuckles on her door, and then it opened revealing her brother. He was smiling brightly at her. She could hear the first song going off meaning she would have to start walking down the aisle very soon. "You ready?" Tarble asked his big sister.

She smiled and nodded. Of course she was ready. Bulma was ready to start this new chapter of her life.

As the song changed and everyone stood, Tarble led Bulma down the aisle. Time stopped for Bulma as her eyes landed on Vegeta, his dark orbs widening slightly as a small gasp escaped him. The two couldn't take their eyes off of each other, and for a moment it was as if they were the only people on the beach. It was a good thing Tarble had taken the lead of Bulma probably would have frozen in place. She was brought back to the reality of the ceremony when her brother stopped walking and turned to her, kissing her cheek. "Go get him," Tarble cheered her on. "We're all here for both of you."

"Thank you," Bulma whispered back to her brother. Honestly, she was so thankful to him for everything, for being there for her and walking her down the aisle. "I love you."

"You too, sis," Tarble replied before he stepped away from her. Bulma finished her walk and joined Vegeta, her son and daughter, and their friends in front of the priest.

Vegeta took her hand the second she was in front of him, looking so handsome with a charming and playful grin. Bulma couldn't help but smile so widely. Trunks and Mai were at their sides in an instant, their expressions matching those of the happy couple. The priest walked up to them and started the ceremony.

"Dearly beloved," he spoke warmly, "we are gathered here today to witness the blessed union of Vegeta Kurobushi and Bulma Hamasaki. They will be joined together in the bonds of holy matrimony and begin their journey together as one. And now, the two shall speak words of their own, promising their lives and hearts to one another." The man turned to face Vegeta, and the groom took a deep, calming breath before his grin softened into a smile.

"Bulma," he started smoothly, "when we decided to write our own vows, I had been stumped, mainly because I never used words to express myself in the past. That has changed greatly, since I met you. When I first saw you at that club, I hadn't ever imagined that we'd come to this point. I learned almost everything I needed to know about you that day, and I had been drawn to you immediately. I never believed in love at first sight, but I accept that it exists now, because I knew there was something about you that day. I couldn't shake you, and I didn't want to. You've taught me so much in such a short time. You pulled me out of the darkest of places, made life so much easier. You've filled me with so much joy and love that I never thought myself capable. You and I know I've been in love before, but even then I couldn't escape the anger and sadness. You taught me to move forward, to live fully, to be a partner and a father. You've completed me."

A surprised breath escaped Bulma, her teeth showing as she smiled and blushed slightly over his words. Knowing Vegeta felt that way was one thing, but the way he so passionately declared what she knew from his actions in front of everyone they knew, it made the world stop around them. She eager professed her vows in return, wanting him to know every last emotions she felt. She wouldn't sugarcoat something like this.

"You complete me, too," she began, his hands squeezing hers lightly as they grinned at each other. "Vegeta, I never dreamed I'd ever find someone that I would have trusted so fully as I do you." She frowned only slightly, cautious of how she'd word this next part given her stepmother's presence. "I was hurt, very badly, in the past, and I shut myself off from making that type of connection. I had tried only to be burned that I just decided to give up on looking. I never expected to meet you. I never counted that as part of my plan, but honestly, you've made mine and my son's life so much better just being there." Bulma saw her son nod, and Vegeta caught the gesture out of the corner of his eye and smirked. "I know I would have been okay, no matter what, but I would have never loved or trusted anyone else as fully as I trust you. No matter what happens in life, I know we'll be okay just because we have you there with us. I couldn't ask for a better partner. You think I taught you to move forward? You did the same for me because honestly, I was in denial all these years. You brought me out of that, and you've shown me what true love is. And I honestly can't thank you enough for loving me too."

The priest smiled at the two and then looked to Mai and Trunks. "Do you have the rings?"

Both teenagers nodded, Trunks adding a, "Got them covered," making everyone around them chuckle.

Mai gave Bulma Vegeta's band first. The priest gave her the direction to place the ring on his finger and the words to say. "With this band, I thee wed," she spoke lightly, the joy on her face infecting his heart.

Vegeta's expression matched hers as he took the ring from Trunks and slid it delicately on her finger, joining her engagement ring. "With this band," he spoke just as softly, "I thee wed." After, they wouldn't let go of each other's hands.

Again, the priest looked between the two of them and smiled. "And now, as all of us have witnessed, Bulma and Vegeta have pledged their love to each other. Join me in prayer that their commitment and love will always be a beacon of hope in the storm of life, and that this couple receive all the joys and blessings this life has to offer." Many loud "amens" could be heard all around them. "By the power vested in me, I now pronoun you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Eagerly, Vegeta crashed his lips against hers, not needing to be told twice. Bulma laughed into the kiss, returning it with equal fervor as their friends and family cheered. They only broke apart, both laughing with glee, as their friends tossed flower petals at them and they were being rained on. Trunks and Mai piled in on the hug before the rest of their wedding party followed suit. It had been a really beautiful ceremony, and now they really were husband and wife.

* * *

The reception was held at a small, local seafood restaurant that the couple had rented out for the day. It was quaint with a lovely view of the sea from inside. There was a beautiful gazebo outside, a perfect place for the photographer to take their wedding pictures. After pictures, the family filtered into the restaurant, the DJ finishing his setup. Soon, the reception began, the DJ introducing the newly wedded couple for their first dance.

As their entrance was announced, the music began to play, and Mai and Trunks were shocked when the song that started playing was the first song they ever danced to together. The teenagers exchanged looks, Trunks murmuring, "Guess we all like that song, huh?"

Mai answered with a nod and asked, "Should we tell them?"

Trunks only chuckled with mirth. "Nah, it just makes it more special." He held out his hand to her, grinning his usual boyish grin. "Can I have this dance?"

His girlfriend giggled. "I don't know. Can you?"

"Ha," Trunks breathed out. " _May_ I?"

At that, Mai returned his smile and nodded, taking his hand. "Yes," she spoke, allowing Trunks to lead her to the dancefloor nearby his parents.

They had been the first couple to join Bulma and Vegeta on the dancefloor. It prompted others to join, Goku practically dragging his wife into the fray. Raditz did the same, though he walked much slower and had actually spoke with his date first. Tarble convinced Gure to join him as well. Valese and Videl asked their boyfriends, the two awkwardly trying to refuse before Marron pushed them into it. The blonde looked to her mother with a knowing look, Juu taking the hint and bringing Krillin out there as well.

Bulma and Vegeta tilted their heads to regard their son and his girlfriend, warm smiles adorning their features. The proud mother could see the look of love in both teenagers' eyes, her son looking to Mai as if she were the only one in the room. She leaned her head on Vegeta's shoulder, cuddling him, and Vegeta moved to his her cheek and bumping his nose to hers.

"Oh, they both look so happy," Kalina chimed, a bright smile on her face. She had never felt as much joy from her son as she did on this day. He had suffered so much because of hers and her husband's actions. Regardless, he had become a better, strong man, and now he had a woman by his side to be his partner. Even though he still held so many wounds from the past, at least he had Bulma to share them with. Relief was all the mother felt, thankful that Vegeta hadn't ended up going down a different, darker path. Her son was definitely the strongest man she knew. She was truly proud of him.

"They do," Launch agreed, a sigh escaping her. "Her father would be so proud of her, and I know he'd be so supportive."

Kalina's expression dropped slightly as she looked over to Bunny. She and the mother of her daughter-in-law had spoken before about their children. She had somehow been confessing to her mistakes to the blonde, but Bunny had been kind and offered her sympathies before anger flared up in her. Bunny had been saying something along the lines of at least she was trying to make up for hurting her son and that certain people never did and never would. The anger had been so real, and Kalina wanted to offer the other woman the same courtesy.

Kalina ended up learning about Bulma's relationship with her father, how hurt she had been, though Kalina knew that Bunny was sugarcoating a lot of what Bulma was thinking or feeling for her daughter's protection and privacy. Bunny hadn't meant to badmouth Launch, but she had been frustrated with the woman for continuously seeking her daughter out to defend her father's actions where there was no defense. Kalina had assured Bunny that she wouldn't look at the other woman any differently or lead on to the fact that she knew anything. Still, her concern for her friend grew when she saw the look in her eyes, a look disbelieving all the words uttered by the stepmother.

Thankfully, a waiter came to take their drink orders, and they were able to move passed the moment without anything being said. The mothers' eyes returned to the happy couple, Vegeta whispering something in Bulma's ear to make her laugh, yet another side of her son Kalina was blessed to get to see. _Vegeta, I hope you're watching our boy. He became such an amazing man._

* * *

It was much later during the reception, after the first couple of courses had been finished. Dinner hadn't even come out yet when Goten yanked Trunks away from Mai and his uncle. The group had been watching Bulma and Vegeta, just sitting down and talking as they ate, taking a break from dancing. Surprisingly, his best friend pulled him outside, away from everyone. They sat in the gazebo, Trunks watching Goten pace back and forth as they listened to the waves. For a moment, the lavender-haired teen was getting nervous. It had been a while since he had seen Goten this agitated.

"Everything okay, Ten?"

That seemed to snap Goten out of his mental trance. He looked over to Trunks, his best friend and brother, readying himself to explain what he needed to convey. "Yes." That was all he could get himself to say.

Silence settled between them as a gentle breeze blew by. "O…kay?" Trunks responded, uncertain as to whether or not he believed his friend. "What's this all about?"

Goten sucked in a breath before he huffed and then actually took a deep breath. His demeanor shifted a bit, a smile on his face marred by his nerves. "I told you a while back that I was going to need your help with something, that I wanted to do something special for Valese…that I'd tell you while we were here."

Trunks recalled that conversation. He had been worried about Goten that night too, sensing something off with his friend. When he asked if he was okay, Goten assured him all was well, and then the next day he seemed fine, like the conversation never happened. Now, he was doing it again. Trunks assumed that maybe Goten wanted to take a huge step with his girlfriend, but maybe he was still haunted about what he had done with Paigen that he couldn't bring himself to move forward. Still, Trunks knew that with his friend that this could be about almost anything, and it probably wouldn't be at all what Trunks was thinking. "Yeah? What about it?"

His spiky-haired friend grinned like a child, all the anxiety gone. "I…I got Valese something, something special. I wanted to show you." Goten took out a small, black velvet box, and Trunks's eyes bugged out as they looked between the box to his friend's dark eyes. "I know what you're thinking, and no, it's not an engagement ring…but it's…close. Here, look."

Goten opened the box and handed it to Trunks. The ring inside was small and very pretty, the band very simple with the metal entwining into a heart, but definitely not full of jewels like a regular engagement ring. Honestly, even Trunks wouldn't be able to afford one of those. "It's really pretty."

His friend nodded and closed the box. "It's a promise ring," he admitted, hiding it back in his suit pocket. He chuckled when Trunks looked even more surprised before the news took and Trunks's expression matched his. "I know we're still young and have our whole lives ahead of us, but Trunks…I want to be with her. I love her, and she's the only one I can picture myself with. She didn't turn me away after what happened with Paigen. She doesn't fear who I am. We even did talk about kids once, and I told her my fears, and she actually said she supports me in whatever I decide. She's it for me, but I didn't know if I had the guts to actually ask her a damn question like that. I never even asked her out on a date or to dance. _She_ always asked _me_. But now I know…Trunks, I _can._ "

"What made you change your mind?" Trunks asked, curious.

That made Goten turn all bashful as he rubbed the back of his head. "Honestly, right before I texted you that day, I asked her to be my date to the wedding. Looking back, it seems so small and silly, but I was so nervous. Like I said, I never asked her to be my girlfriend. It just happened after that whole mess. We never talk about it. She tells me she loves me, and despite what I feel I freeze up. I knew that if I was ever going to do this, I would never be able to tell her what she truly meant to me. But then, I asked her, and she could tell I was so worried, but I played it off as I was just nervous about her accepting to be my date. I was nervous I wouldn't be able to say the words, but now I know I can."

"So basically," Trunks pondered, the smile never leaving his face, "you want to propose to her, right?"

A single nod was his answer. "Yeah," Goten replied. "Yeah, I do, and I want it to be special, but I don't even have any idea how to go about it. Right now, it's not the right time. She's been going through some stuff, and I don't want to overwhelm her by making her make a major choice about her life. I'm hoping it'll give me enough time to plan, but I'm no good at this stuff. I need your help."

"Of course I'll help you, Goten."

And just like that, all the tension left Goten's shoulders, and any anxiety he felt was gone. "We're really going to do this," he marveled.

"We're going to do this," Trunks assured him. The excitement he felt for his friend burst through him. Honestly, this whole day was probably the best in the teenager's life. Now, all he had to do was focus on this new life with his parents and his friends. Every day, their journey was getting better and better.

* * *

Bulma released a giant breath after she and Vegeta returned to their room. She loved her family and friends, but honestly now she just wanted to be with her husband. Now that all the formalities were over, the two were alone. She flashed her husband a sheepish grin as she pressed herself up off of the door. Vegeta loosened his tie, his eyes never leaving his woman's, even as she approached him ever so slowly. The shyness Bulma had exuded the first time he kissed her and the first time they slept together came back full fold, and truthfully, he didn't mind it. It was just one of the many things he loved about his wife. God, he would never tire of calling her that in mind or out loud. It was taking him everything not to go and open the windows and declare that he had married his woman. He couldn't wait until everyone knew.

They said each other's name at the same time, the two then chuckling at themselves for being so in sync.

Slowly, Bulma approached him, pressing her hands against his chest. "It feels so surreal," she told him, "to be married. I'm still in a daze."

Vegeta snickered. "I didn't think it would feel any different," Vegeta admitted, "but it does. It drew us closer, united us."

"Yeah," his wife whispered, agreeing with the sentiment. "I still feel like this is a dream I'll eventually wake up from."

He didn't even grant that with a response. Instead, he crashed his lips to hers, passionately kissing the woman with everything he had. She responded in kind, yelping in surprise at first before sighing into the kiss. He continued his ministrations until he realized they both required air. The two panted, their forehead adjoined and their breath meeting. "Real enough for you?" he teased, though his voice was deep and husky instead of light and playful.

Bulma's hands entangled themselves in Vegeta's hair. She traced his lips with her thumb. "Nuh-uh," she replied. "I think I need more convincing." The look Vegeta flashed her was the sexiest most devious thing she had ever seen. Her face flushed from the heat she was feeling.

"As my wife wishes," Vegeta answered before consuming her once again. His hand roamed her body, Bulma arching into every touch. She was in a haze when she felt Vegeta's hand on her leg, gently hiking up her dress. Bulma chanced to look at her husband again when she felt him hovering over her. Their eyes met, and, like the first night she had given herself to him, Bulma took in a shaky breath of anticipation before nodded to Vegeta. Her open invitation prompted him to pull her close to him and lead her to the bed. The two began undressing each other slowly, taking care to savor the moment. Timid yet certain fingers pushed off Vegeta's jacket and shirt, grazing his shoulders and running down the length of his spine, and likewise Vegeta's caressed every inch of her body as he removed the beautiful white dress. Then, the two came together, consummating the vows of their marriage. It really was the perfect ending to a perfect day.


	55. Chapter 54

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Thank you, everyone, for the reviews and PMs after last chapter. I really appreciate the support and understanding and that you guys were checking up on me. I'm doing much better now, but even this past week has been full of crazy drama and stress. Still, I was finally able to sit down and write something. It helped me get back into the swing of things a little bit. I just hope I can keep up momentum. In any case, I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's full of a lot of fun and summer sweetness. And thank you guys again.

* * *

It was, by far, the best summer anyone had ever experienced. Well, in Mai's case, it was the first true summer vacation she was experiencing since her early childhood. It was Trunks's first summer with two parents, and he reveled in it. What made it even better was that, sometime after the wedding, they took a Sons and Kurobushis joint family trip. Bulma and Vegeta had opted not to take a true honeymoon, not yet since they wanted to spend time with the teenagers. They'd have their time later to get away. Right now, they just wanted to be with their family.

The two families had gone camping, something Bulma and Goku hadn't done with their families since they were children. They found this awesome lakeside campsite hoping to give their children the experiences they had. Honestly, though Vegeta didn't say anything, Bulma knew it was his first time camping also. That's why he opted not to take the high-tech camping gear their company was producing this year. He wanted to have every last experience that he never had. Bulma would sneak peaks at him and Trunks figuring out how to put up the tents while Goku and Goten were listening intently as Gohan explained how to start a fire with baffled looks on their faces. Mai went off with Bulma and Chi Chi to find more firewood.

All in all, every day held interesting adventures. The teenagers would search the woods in the day, and run around in the dark at night, Trunks playfully frightening his girlfriend which merely resulted in him getting smacked. Mai had come a long way from being the timid victim she once was. There were still moments, but Trunks had to admit he was relieved that she had become so happy and carefree. They all learned to fish from Goku who used to go with his brother and father from time to time. He had really only watched, but he picked up a thing or two. It was still quite the chaotic scene.

The summer fun continued every day. Some days, the kids would meet their friends for movies. Vegeta had gotten a gym membership so that they could all go swimming after chaotic days at work. Mai and Trunks still worked at Ouji Corp., and they were going in plenty more days. Mai spent some time drawing when she was hope, sitting outside under the summer sun. Between arcades and shopping trips, picnics in the park, and making s'more's all the time over the grill now that Mai and Vegeta finally tasted them, they were hitting all the stops.

On a day where Bulma planned to meet with Gure and Chi Chi was out visiting her father, Goku and Vegeta took the kids to a waterpark. It had been another first for Vegeta, and Goku had actually filled him in on how he and Bulma frequented waterparks as teenagers. He learned that Bulma enjoyed the parks, but she was always nervous about the slides. She used to love them when they were younger, but as she got older she grew more timid and sent Goku with their sons to go and wait on line. Now, Vegeta was basically filling that role with the other father, and he was loathe to admit he actually was having fun.

The teenagers had gone off to different locations around the waiting area where Goku and Vegeta were taking a break. Videl had dragged Gohan off to do some of the more daring stuff while Goten and Valese just went for a walk. Trunks and Mai were in the wave pool ahead of the fathers, all of the group promising to meet back at the area by noon.

Trunks came up for air, floating on his back as he eyed Mai. She had really been enjoying herself the entire day. She had loved her first waterslide even though she was freaked out in the beginning. After everyone split up after going around and around on the lazy river, Trunks decided to take Mai to the wave pool. It was nice to just relax, but surprisingly a lot of fun to roll with the waves. It was reminiscent of the beach, enjoying the ocean waves with their friends. Mai swam to a shallow spot where she could sit while the water was calm and laid back. Trunks went to join her.

"Hey," he murmured softly, Mai meeting his gaze with a bright, contented smile. "Having fun?"

His girlfriend chuckled and shook her head. "That's like the fifth time you've asked me that today, Trunks," Mai pointed out. "Seriously, I'm having a blast. Thank you so much for convincing me to go."

Trunks smirked at the girl, but he just shook his head. Honestly, Mai hadn't needed much convincing. She was eager to have these new experiences, and he enjoyed showing her what it truly meant to be a kid. Each and every day they did something, even if it was something as mundane as getting ice cream cones at the local dairy bar. Mai was having the time of her life finally getting to have normal experiences of others their age. The more she experienced, the more she was becoming her true self, shedding the layers of fear.

In response to her words, Trunks took her hand and swam backwards, silently inviting her to swim with him. Mai was taken aback by the intensity of her boyfriend's eyes while he appeared so mild as he smiled at her. Next thing she knew, Trunks grinned his usual impish grin that implied he was up to something. Before she could voice anything, Trunks brought her underwater and crashed his lips to hers. Mai could feel her face heat up, but honestly she wasn't opposed to his actions. She smiled into the kiss, wrapping her arm around his as her fingers laced in his wet hair. He cradled her to her, holding her tight, and then he pulled away, the two surfacing for air and both breathing a bit heavily as they exchanged loving glances. Mai had to admit that she had been having a lot of good days and romantic moments with her boyfriend, but, by far, this underwater kiss they shared would definitely be one of her favorite memories in years to come. She loved her goofball of a boyfriend. He made her feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

* * *

Goten had decided to go off with Valese. They hadn't really gotten to spend as much alone time as they wanted. Shortly after the wedding, Valese had to go and visit with her mother, and the woman was very strict. Goten couldn't come over, and Valese wasn't allowed to stay over his home. In fact, her mother kept taking her places, clothes shopping and for makeovers. It would have been fun for the girl, but it wasn't like she was with her friends. She had to watch her mother flirt with every guy who approached them, hear her badmouth her father, and the woman kept telling her that Valese needed sexier clothes and makeup to attract better men. Valese couldn't even talk to her mother about Goten because she didn't think her boyfriend was good enough for her. In fact, she had called him a "crazy psycho" on more than one occasion which angered her daughter immensely. She wouldn't even tell Goten that part afraid that it would make him feel hurt and anxious. She didn't believe what her mother did.

She was thankful when Goten took her hand, pulling her out of her thoughts. Then, she met his concerned gaze. "We've been wandering around for about twenty minutes, and this is the first time you looked up and like you have any idea where you are. What has you so zoned out?"

A sigh escaped Valese before she frowned at her boyfriend. "I…I'm just tired of everything," she admitted. Goten's eyes compelled her to continue. "She forced me to meet her latest boyfriend, and the way she talks about me and dad…Goten, I don't want to see her again."

His expression matched hers, although his eyes held more anger than hers did. "Can't your dad go for full custody and you just visit with that bitch when you feel up to it? When your dad is away, you could always stay with us. Mom and dad would be happy to have you."

"Goten, that's the problem," Valese replied, sounding defeated. "If dad goes for full custody, mom will fight it. She would mainly do it for the money because wherever I go the money goes. Since dad travels a lot, most likely she'd win, and then I'd be stuck with her. Then, what if she decides to move? What if I never see you again? I don't think I…"

Valese was becoming hysterical the more overwhelmed she was. Goten quickly pulled her in for a hug, ignoring the curious glances from the onlookers who couldn't mind their own business. "Sh, it's okay." She sniffled, crying against his chest as he gently patted her back. "What are you always telling me about crap like this?" That caused a light laugh to escape her, and Goten took pride in the fact that he could make her laugh like that, even when she was so distraught. "It's going to be okay, Val. Everything will work out."

The brunette lifted her head to look into her boyfriend's loving and sincere eyes. "You really believe that."

"I do," Goten agreed. The conversation was ended when he gave her an innocent peck on the lips. The two maintained the connection, standing in the middle of the waterpark.

* * *

On the top of a very large and crazy-shaped waterslide, Gohan looked up in terror. Videl had taken him to all kinds of crazy slides. He actually had wanted to go, to try to be more daring and outgoing, and he had had fun. But this…this one was too much. He looked to his fearless girlfriend, beads of sweat forming on his brow. "Um, Videl…" he nervously started, earning her attention. "I think I'm going to sit this one out…"

Videl only chuckled lightly. "Gohan, we're almost there. It's just like the other ones. Once you're on, it'll happen so quick it won't make a difference. Trust me. You had fun on all the others, right?"

"Well, yeah, I know, but-"

"And _you_ were the one who said you wanted to go on 'every slide here' today, right?"

"I know…but this one just seems-"

Videl cut in again. "And I promised you I'd make sure you did. I'm not going to force you, obviously, but I know this is something you wanted to do, so I agreed. Don't think it's not making me nervous too. I honestly have never been on one like this before."

Gohan was shocked. He thought she had been. The way she looked at each slide was with knowing eyes, as if she had been on them before, and Gohan had assumed she had just been on everything. To hear that she was also going on slides that she hadn't gone on before because of his desires actually calmed him. How could he be so frightened when he had his brave girlfriend at his side?

"Well, then I guess this is a first for the both of us, then," Gohan stated, beaming brightly at her as he took her hand.

They did go on the slide, both of them screaming and laughing the whole way down, having the time of their lives. By the end of it, Gohan and Videl were both able to say that they had been on every single slide in the waterpark that day for the first time ever. Then, they went to go and meet up with their friends and tell them all about it, Vegeta and Goku getting lunch for all of them before heading home for the day. The teenagers promised they'd come back again before the summer ended.

* * *

While the teenagers were having fun at the waterpark, Bulma and Gure were having some much needed girl time. They had gone shopping that day and gotten their nails done while Tarble was working, and then decided to go to a nice little sushi place in the mall. During the day, they had talked about everything from work to likes, dislikes, and hobbies. Bulma asked Gure about the lunch group she had started and, out of curiosity, asked her what had made Gure decide to start the lunch group up. It led to an even longer discussion, and Bulma learned that it wasn't just Mai and the other students who kickstarted the idea.

"So, in college, that's what happened to me," Gure said, finishing off the story of the man who had assaulted her. "I know how terrifying it is to be in a situation with an abuser. There's so many different forms of abuse, and honestly, for me, I had no one back then to talk to. I couldn't bring myself to tell my parents, and I didn't have very many friends. Honestly, the people I had befriended in college turned away after I decided to shave my head. They never bothered to ask why and just assumed I was weird."

Bulma sighed and shook her head. "They weren't real friends, then. Gure, I'm so sorry you had to deal with all of that alone. Does my brother know?"

Gure offered a nod and a shy smile. "Yeah, he does. I told him back when he invited me to your Halloween party. He was so understanding, Bulma. You're brother is just so…" The woman blushed when she saw Bulma's bright smile. "Um…"

"You really care about him," Bulma softly stated. "I'm glad."

"I do," Gure admitted. "Honestly…I…" Gure became nervous again, but she found it easier talking to the other woman about her feelings than the one she was feeling them for. "I love him, Bulma, so much," she finally confessed. "I keep trying to tell him, but every time I do, something stops me. It's probably my trust issues with men, but I shouldn't feel that way with him. I'm in love with him. I shouldn't be afraid."

"Gure, it happens," Bulma assured her. "I can't tell you how many times I feared my relationship with Vegeta would end. I feared it in the beginning, before he found out who my father was, thinking he'd never believe my father was the type of man he was. I worried a few other times. There was one day we even had a huge misunderstanding and I thought that was it for good, rationally telling myself it wasn't going to happen but fearing the worst. Being in love is easy, but it's also extremely complicated and scary. You open yourself up in ways you never thought you could, becoming vulnerable to someone else and trusting they won't hurt you. But people who have been in abusive relationships, whether with parents, friends, or lovers, have this part of them that hopes everything will be okay, but we mentally prepare ourselves for the moments they won't be, waiting for the other shoe to drop when there isn't even a shoe in the air hovering. Eventually, through time, that will all pass. But you have to trust it will. Tarble is very understanding, and honestly, I think you should tell him you love him. I believe he loves you too."

Gure knew Tarble loved her. He had declared his love for her when he was defending her from Maron, and she hadn't had the courage to say it back. Bulma was right. She had this irrational fear that his confession may not have been real despite knowing in her mind and heart that it was true. These fears lingered because of her past, but she could feel Bulma's positivity and hope being a bit infectious. Gure was an optimist herself, but it didn't mean days of anxiety and pessimism didn't happen. She knew, being a counselor, that even the pluckiest optimist had down days themselves, and she and Bulma were no exception. She smiled to the woman, her friend, and nodded. "You're right," she replied. "I guess I just need to get over all this."

"Getting over it, no," Bulma told her, shocking her. "Learning to live with it, yes. People always say to just get over abuse, that it's in the past and can't affect you anymore. Just because nothing new happens, doesn't mean you aren't affected. You can't even ignore that it happened, either. It's what I've been telling Mai with her issues. It didn't not happen. It was traumatic and awful and terrifying, and all of those emotions were real. You felt them, and you can't unfeel them. All you can really do is accept that you felt that way and work towards a life where you don't feel that way. Those emotions will always be a part of you, but they don't define you. Trust me. When my father did and said the stuff he did, even if he wasn't a physical abuser, I still felt it all. I had the anxiety. I felt like the smallest person in the world, like a scared little girl that just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry some days even as an adult. As an adult, I felt like I was still a child, clinging to a father who would never treat me the way I should have been. Worst, I felt like it was all my fault and that I was the one who caused his treatment of me, that there was something fundamentally wrong with me, and because of that I had darker thoughts, thoughts that I won't discuss other than saying I thought everyone would be better off without me. I can never get over that. All I can say is I was fairly far gone, but I picked myself back up and turned myself around. After I lost my father, I was able to process everything I ever felt. I loved him, and I know he loved me, but it didn't change that I was hurt.

"So in saying this, Gure, you can't change what happened, and you may never get over what was done to you. You have every right to feel the way you do, and no one can tell you to 'get over it.' They didn't live through what you did, and what you need is to be around people who don't just say 'get over it,' but people who understand that you went through a horrific ordeal and want to build you up. In spite of what happened, no matter how long ago it was, you need to believe you are worth every connection you make because, Gure, you are an amazing woman. You looked out for my son and daughter; you've been an amazing friend to me; and, honestly, I've never seen my brother happier than when he is with you or even talking about you. He cares about you so much, and so do I."

Tears of joy filled Gure's eyes, and she laughed as she wiped them away. Bulma spoke so candidly, and her words were just so warm and honest. She always heard stories from Trunks of different things his mother taught him through life that made him the amazing young man he was, and to hear how understanding she had been to Mai, even going as far to call the teenager her daughter, it just showed her the type of woman Bulma was. Abuse was a vicious cycle, and instead of continuing it, the woman in front of her used her own experiences to try to help others through theirs. Considering the group of people she surrounded herself with, it seemed to be Bulma's lifelong mission to bring everyone the joy she felt they all deserved. It was part of why Gure wanted to be a therapist herself, why she had started the lunch group. Bulma was right. They had control of their lives, of their futures. They were adults who made decisions for others as well as themselves. It's why they got along so well. It was why Gure felt completely at ease and at home around this woman and her family.

"That really means a lot," she told her boyfriend's sister. "Thank you. You all mean a lot to me too."

Bulma beamed at her before she used comedy to cut through the joyful but intense atmosphere that had been created. "Well, I'd hope so. We are family, after all. Now, we still have a whole day ahead of us. I don't know about you, but I think I activated my sweet tooth. So, your choice. Ice cream or chocolate covered strawberries."

Gure's eyes widened. "I haven't had chocolate covered strawberries in forever."

"Then chocolate covered strawberries it is," Bulma declared, holding her pointer finger up in the air. "To the candy store!"

Gure laughed at the woman's antics, feeling lighter than she had over the past couple of weeks. She learned a lot today, things she never thought of about hers and her patients' recoveries. It gave her renewed vigor and energy and faith for her future with Tarble. She would tell him how she felt the next time she saw him. After all, he felt the same she did. They both deserved to live in that joy together.

* * *

Later that evening, when Vegeta and the kids returned home, the family decided they weren't ready for the summer fun to end. Bulma suggested a nice family picnic in the park, and the kids jumped on that opportunity. So, they packed a nice meal and drinks and packed a cooler before walking to the local park. They found a nice spot under a shady tree, and Trunks and Mai told Bulma stories about their water park adventures with their friends. The mother listened intently, eating up every word spoken. She could see just how happy her kids were, and she was relieved that after such a chaotic year they were finally getting the break they so desired and deserved.

When they all finished eating, Trunks and Mai decided to go for a walk, hand in hand as they left the newlywed couple alone for a bit. Once alone, Bulma leaned over and pecked Vegeta's cheek with her lips. Her husband looked over to her, brow raised as she pulled away with a knowing smile. "What was that for?" he asked.

His wife stroked his cheek lovingly before kissing his lips tenderly and pulling away seconds later. "Because I'm so lucky to have met you," she reminded him. "Also, it's a thank you for taking the kids out for the day."

Vegeta smirked down at the woman, eyes sparked with playfulness and fire. "I can think of other ways you can thank me," he said seductively sending chills down his wife's spine, "but, truthfully, no thanks are required, woman. I enjoyed the experience, seeing them all having so much fun together. Next time, you should join us."

"I will," Bulma promised, cuddling into him. "Next time we'll plan it so that everyone can go. It'll be like another family trip."

"I like the sound of that," Vegeta hummed before he leaned back against the blanket, taking Bulma with him. She laughed against his chest before Vegeta shifted them so that he could consume her with kisses.

A person cleared their throat, and the two looked up to see the shit-eating grin of Officer Jay. "Now, I don't mean to interrupt, but where PDAs are acceptable in public, you need to keep them a bit more decent and composed."

Vegeta chuckled, cuddling his smiling wife. "Bite me," he jeered with quite a bit of humor before he and Bulma sat up. "Nothing happened, and it's our word against yours."

Jay laughed before taking a seat. "All kidding aside," the officer said, sitting down, "our is everyone doing? The kids all right? Having a good summer?"

"Everything is going well, Jay," Bulma replied, her eyes meeting Vegeta as she smiled shyly at her husband. "Just having a day out with the family."

The officer beamed at them as he was sure he became part of the background as the couple gazed lovingly at each other. He had spoken to Bulma some time after he had given her the test results, and he learned that she had finally told Vegeta about the test. He had felt kind of bad for her that the paper hadn't had the answer she wanted, but she and Vegeta hadn't cared. They were still a family, and that was all that mattered.

Honestly, Jay hadn't been able to attend the wedding, but he had heard from his sister that it had been a lovely ceremony. Bulma and Vegeta were such a great pair, and though he didn't know Bulma as well as his sister, he knew that after all her struggles, she deserved someone who would build her up and help her through any trial. He barely knew Vegeta, but he could say the same thing for him. The two were certainly a sight to behold when together. Jay was happy for them.

* * *

It was a day that would change his life, and Broly was growing increasingly nervous as he looked to his spiky-haired companion. So many months had passed since Thanksgiving when Goku had made the suggestion of the man adopting a pet. Back then, Broly hadn't been interested, keeping his life quiet and ordinary. After his recent breakdown, his doctors had told him to live life normally, not withdrawing from life, and to exist in whatever happened around him. He couldn't be afraid of hearing other sounds. Sometimes, it was just normal, completely unrelated to his illness, and he couldn't live trying to avoid _everything._

So, there he was, walking with Goku into an animal shelter with the plan to get a pet.

"Okay, so what are you thinking?" Goku asked excitedly. "Big? Small? Cat? Dog? They have just about everything here."

Broly sweat-dropped before grinning awkwardly. "Honestly, I have no idea. I didn't think much further than coming to the shelter."

Goku granted him a nod and then said, "Then I guess we'll just have to wait and see what calls out to you."

Ironically, at that moment, they both heard barking and a couple of growls from around the corner and the scream of a woman, and both ran to see what was the matter. They were met with a sight they didn't expect. The woman looked over to them with saddened eyes as a tiny pug she was trying to take out for a walk backed itself into a corner and stared her down distrustfully. "Good morning, how may I help you both today?"

"You work here?" Broly questioned.

The woman nodded. "Actually, I'm the owner of this shelter." She looked over to the little pug in defeat and walked away, closing the cage door, and the pug left its corner and went over to the little bed they had for her. "Sorry about that. A couple of employees couldn't get this little one to eat or go out and called me over to see if I could make a difference with her."

Goku frowned, looking over at the puppy. "What's wrong with her?"

"She was a rescue," the owner explained. "It was a terrible circumstance, and she's very distrustful to people because of it. She has such severe anxiety and she's only about three years old. She won't respond well to anyone. Anyway, again, what can I help you boys with today?"

Goku forced a smile, feeling terrible for the little pug puppy at the shelter, but he had to keep it together and help Broly find a pet. "My friend here is looking to adopt a pet today. He's not really sure what he's look-"

"Can I try?"

Goku froze in his speech, and he and the woman looked to Broly. "Could you try what, sir?" the woman asked.

"With the pug," Broly elaborated. "Could I go in there and try to get her to eat?"

The shelter owner was surprised by the question, but she nodded. "I don't know what you think you can do, but I'm willing to try anything at this point. If she doesn't eat soon, then it's going to be a problem."

Broly nodded his thanks and allowed her to open the door for him so he could go inside. He was face to face with the little pug, the dog growling at him much like she had with the woman. She was in a defensive position, backed into a corner, and she looked like she was ready to attack the massive man who walked in. So, in response, Broly sat down on the floor next to the food bowl, earning the surprise of Goku, the woman, and even the pug. Broly could still see distrust in the dog's eyes, a feeling he remembered back in the day when he was first diagnosed. With his illness and anxiety, putting his faith in someone else was difficult. It should have gotten even worse now that he was older and the one person he thought he could trust turned out to be a monster. Thankfully, he had met others who showed him patience and understanding.

That's what this puppy needed.

"Hey," Broly spoke quietly, the pug still keeping to her corner but in a more relaxed posture. "I hear you're not eating. We should fix that." He took the dog food bowl and placed it in front of him, getting comfortable on the floor and not making any moves to reach for the puppy. The pug looked to the bowl and then back to Broly, unmoving. Her eyes went back to the food. It was clear she was hungry. "It's okay. Take your time."

Still uncertain, the puppy straightened herself and slowly walked to the food bowl, never taking her eyes off of Broly. She was timid, fearful, and honestly Broly could relate. He watched her as she ate the food, dark eyes still watching him. The dog was ready to defend herself if she had to, waiting for something to hurt her. Broly didn't know what kind of environment she was taken from, but he knew that this dog was a lot like how he used to be before he met Bulma.

After the puppy ate, Goku and the shelter owner still watching quietly in awe, Broly stood up, and the dog was on edge once again. She barked at the gentle giant, and he simply offered the puppy a knowing glance. "Come on," he gently commanded. "Let's go for a walk."

He picked up the leash and knelt down to hook the puppy's collar, but he again made no move to pursue the pug. Eventually, she walked over to him, a little more certain that the man wasn't going to hurt her. Broly led the dog out back, the two onlookers still watching him bond with the rescue. The pug did her business before walking around and enjoying the outside air. Broly let her for a while before he guided her back inside. He walked back into the kennel and released the collar before placing the leash back where he found it.

When he turned away from the dog, Broly heard her bark and looked over his shoulder to see her staring at him expectantly. He moved towards the dog and reached his hand down to her. Cautiously, she walked over to him and sniffed his outstretched appendage before giving his hand a lick with her tiny tongue. Gently, he pat her head before turning back to his stunned friend and a baffled woman. It was then Broly had made a decision. "I'd like to adopt that pug."

* * *

It was business as usual at Ouji Corp. meaning Vegeta was as busy as could be. He had been in meetings all day, and Bulma had been working with her team to start construction on the Gravity Room Project. He, Nappa, and Raditz had helped her select the most trustworthy team, and honestly those workers would be the only ones to handle the project. No new hires could even be considered for the position. They had to be careful with Frieza Cold and his underhanded behavior.

Vegeta was about ready to return some phone calls to other businesses when his rang. Calm as ever, he answered it, concerned it could be Frieza who hadn't contacted him or Bulma since the day he threatened the woman in her office. Surprisingly, it was not Frieza, but Valese's father. Walsh had expressed interest in the past to work at Ouji Corp. He and Vegeta had never spoken about Vegeta's offer again since Thanksgiving, but now Walsh was finally ready to discuss the option. His contract with the company for which he worked would come to an end that September. The father explained the talk he had with his daughter about their circumstances with his ex-wife.

" _Valese despises going to her mother's,"_ Walsh had told the CEO. _"We discussed the possibility of going to court for full custody, but the strike against me is my current job. It takes me out of town or state way too often, and I'm sure my ex would use that to take Valese away from me. I need a job that is more local, and I was hoping that maybe your offer still stood."_

"Absolutely," Vegeta answered. Honestly, he had been hoping to hear from the man. There had been a board position for the longest time that had been until led since Paragus's firing. Vegeta had been slow to hire just anyone, desiring someone he trusted for the position, and after offering any position to Walsh, Vegeta believed he'd be a good candidate. He knew the man was still in contract, and he had hoped that when the contract came to an end he would receive this phone call. It looked like both he and Walsh would benefit from this arrangement. So, he admitted, "Actually, there's a position we have yet to be filled on the board. I need someone I can trust, someone who I _know_ will work hard. You can start the day your current contract ends."

Walsh was astonished, but he would not squander the opportunity. _"Thank you, Vegeta. I don't know how I can ever repay you."_

Vegeta smirked. "Just show up early that day to be briefed for your new position. We can discuss the details when next we meet."

The other man was incredibly thankful.

* * *

In the evening, Tarble had surprised Gure, showing up at her apartment with dinner which had become a normal occurrence between them. Still, Gure felt butterflies in her stomach. She had promised herself, hours earlier when out with his sister, that she would confess her feelings the next time she saw him. The second she did see him, the words died before they could even be spoken.

Instead, the two ate dinner and cuddled with each other on the couch while watching movies. The whole time, Gure continued to tell herself to just speak the words. She couldn't understand why it was so hard. Bulma knew her feelings, and Gure knew Tarble's. There was no reason for her to be this anxious over it. She just needed to speak!

"Gure, is everything all right?" Tarble's soft voice reached her ears, shocking her out of her thoughts.

"Huh?" Gure breathed out. "W-What do you mean?"

"You been awfully quiet tonight," her boyfriend observed. "Is something bothering you?"

Gure looked into his concerned eyes, blushing bright red. She was surprised he could read her so easily. He may not have known what was going on inside her head, but he knew there _was_ something going on in her mind. He was giving her the perfect time to tell him everything. In complete honesty, she shook her head. "Nothing is wrong, Tarble. Actually, everything is really good. Just…I have something on my mind, and I want to say it."

Tarble sat up and gave her his complete and undivided attention. "What's up?"

Nerves tried to attack Gure once again, but she managed to swallow them down. Tarble's eyes were so full of love and patience. She almost got lost in them before she remembered what she needed to make sure he knew that day. She couldn't wait any longer. Mustering up all her courage, Gure finally pronounced the three words that would make her boyfriend's heart soar. "I love you."

Tarble was stunned into silence, a tiny bit of shock filling in his gaze. Gure grew a little nervous when he didn't respond to her confession, but then, as the words registered fully, Tarble beamed from them and he quickly moved to kiss her. He broke away only to whisper against her lips that he loved her too, confessing to her once again, adding that he loved her more than anyone else who came before her. She blushed again over his intense declaration, but she smiled and allowed Tarble to hold her close to him as he kissed her again more forcefully. However, she tensed up during their passionate make out after her hands grazed his back and his moved to her lower back, her eyes becoming fearful at the feeling of his hands there.

Completely upset with herself for picturing her past assailant in that moment, Gure attempted to push herself away, but Tarble's grip tightened for just a split second keeping her in place before he removed his hands from her body. He offered her a patient, loving smile, his gaze tender. "I understand," he assured her, his voice kind and confident. His grin merely widened as he clasped his hands together behind his back. He gave her a gentle kiss on her lips soon after.

Gure was taken aback by his gesture, her heart bursting with such adoration. He was an incredibly compassionate soul. She never expected to meet him or to fall in love. Honestly, she had practically written off relationships before meeting Tarble, and she never would have guessed the first time they met in her office that she would end up falling in love with him not even a year later. He was the only one she could ever imagine loving the way she did, and it still sometimes surprised her that he felt the same way about an oddball like her. In response to his chivalrous gesture, she met him halfway, taking one of his hands from behind his back and guiding it to her cheek. Tarble grinned into the kiss, softly stroking her skin, before pulling away for a moment as he rubbed his nose gently against hers. He had never thought he could be so happy.

* * *

Summer had gone by in such a blur, and it had been jam packed with activity. Vegeta and Bulma were relaxing on their balcony. Trunks and Mai had turned in early for the first day of school the next day. Bulma couldn't believe her little boy was going to be a junior. He and Mai were already so prepared for the year, both taking AP courses while discussing with Bulma and Vegeta the possibility of visiting a couple of local and distant colleges. They were both so grown up, and it was hard for Bulma not to get emotional. Her loving husband had teased her about that earlier that day.

Now, they were curled up together on a picnic blanket and looking up at the stars. Vegeta had taken to quiet, peaceful moments like this during the course the summer. It was good to slow down, he realized. Keeping the kids busy was nice, but there were some days even they needed to remain still. Cloud watching and stargazing had effectively aided in that.

They had been discussing all the happenings over the season, stating their favorite moments. Of course, there was their wedding, and that would forever be engraved in their minds, but the most memorable parts for Vegeta was finally being able to fill the role of a father. Where Trunks had seen him as a father for a long time and Vegeta had seen him as his son, they hadn't gotten to bond all the time. Between school, work, and all of the drama they all endured, they had definitely bonded, but there had always been something hanging over them. During the summer, Vegeta spent a lot of time with Trunks, making sure he was safe, happy, and having a good time. The two of them were even learning to read constellations, just in case, as a way of navigation. Vegeta had taught Trunks survival skills as well as some street fighting, something they both decided to keep a secret from his mother. Part of it was because Ginyu was out there, but Vegeta hadn't heard from that bastard in a long while. No, for Vegeta, it was more for the sake of imparting wisdom and making sure his son could protect and defend himself on the off-chance that the martial arts he was learning wouldn't be enough.

Bulma sighed in contentment, listen to Vegeta talking about all the time he was spending with their son. Lately, any time Trunks came up in conversation, Vegeta would light up as she normally would. Any tautness of his muscles would be relieved instantly as he recounted any activities the two did together. Trunks reacted the same way. Honestly, it brought Bulma so much joy. Her son was finally experiencing the reality of having a father, and Vegeta had was a natural in parenting. He reaffirmed to Bulma that it was something he never expected to want, but now that he had that bond he never wanted to let it go.

And then, for the first time since Father's Day, he brought up adoption once again.

Bulma was slightly surprised, mainly because she didn't expect him to bring it up so soon since their marriage. From the moment he mentioned it, the possibility had infiltrated Bulma's thoughts on many occasions. She planned to wait for Vegeta to be ready. Truthfully, she was in pure bliss just from being bonded to her soulmate and giving her son and daughter the best possible summer they could ever have.

"I want us to start the process," Vegeta told her. "It could take a while, but I know I want this. I know we _both_ want this. You deserve to have more children like you wanted, and I want to experience parenthood from the beginning. What do you say?"

"You don't have to convince me, Vegeta," Bulma assured him. "Let's start the process. Let's adopt a baby."

The decision was yet another chapter in building their life together, and they were both completely ready for it and all of the challenges that would come.


	56. Chapter 55

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Well, everyone, here's another chapter. I'm determined to get through these chapters I had planned so I can post what appears in my mind as the conversation chapters. So, again, here's another couple, not as plucky as our summer chapter, but major things are about to happen. Anyway, enjoy and see you next chapter!

* * *

Trunks had never really liked first days of school. In the past, it was marked with dealing with his horrible counselor while trying to explain Goten's situation to his new teachers hoping they'd be understanding to the fact that he may be late to classes sometimes. This year, he didn't have to worry about any of it. Gure was his counselor now and the teachers were all well aware of the problems outside of school because Gure wasn't hiding that information. Unlike last year, Goten wasn't as stressed, able to choose his classes. His mother had asked him to consider AP classes, but she wasn't putting pressure on him at all. It seemed she finally understood what he kids needed, and she adjusted to it very well. Goten had opted out of AP classes except for one, AP Biology, which all in their group was taking so he would have a ton of support.

From now on, their year was going to be all about SATs and looking at colleges. No one knew what exactly they wanted to do yet except for Mai. She had long decided she wanted to be an artist. Her confidence had skyrocketed over the summer, and she was confident in her decision and her future. The only thing Trunks knew was that wherever Mai was to go in the future, he would follow.

Another new part of their year was that Marron's parents had transferred her from her last school, and she was now a part of their class. They had all gotten there early that day to show her around the place and help her find all the shortcuts so she wouldn't be late for her classes on the other side of the building.

At their lockers, the were approached by none other than Paigen and Connor. The guys all exchanged their greetings for a moment, discussing the upcoming football season, while Paigen was talking to the girls inviting all of them to her annual back to school party that she and Connor were throwing together. Mai had been hesitant the last time Paigen had invited her, but honestly she thought it was time, time to let go of the past. The girl had clearly changed, and Mai didn't want to punish her forever. She could see Valese and Goten talking about it next to her, and even Goten seemed okay with it. If he was, she could be too. Besides, Marron was their classmate now, and she wanted to get to know the other students. So, they all agreed to go, and strangely enough that made Paigen really happy. They were finally giving her a second chance, and she wouldn't squander that.

* * *

Bulma sighed contently and wiped sweat off her brow after she finished welding two pieces of metal together. As much as she loved doing her research and loved her GR project, she was thankful for this reprieve. Earlier in the week, Vegeta had asked her if it would be stretching her too thin to have her working on another project that was based more on the scope of home improvement. The company was based on technological advancement, and they couldn't fall behind in the markets. Bulma assured him that it was fine considering she needed breaks from that massive project. Construction was already underway, the research completed, and the few members she had on the team needed a project that was low-key.

She looked around at her team, all working diligently on their other newest project. There were some new hires in the fray, and one in particular looked like he could use a break. She called attention to them, bringing them all together for her usual pep talk. It was then she was approached by the newest worker, Namole, about the possibility of working on the Gravity Room Project.

As the other workers knew, the team that Bulma had selected was very small, and only veteran workers both she and Vegeta trusted were chosen. "I'm sorry, Namole," Bulma started, her voice sincere. "But that's a project that would have to be worked up to. Only senior researchers are a part of it. The project is classified, and therefore only those who have worked for the company a long time can work on it. But don't worry, you'll still get plenty of experience here, and if you play your cards right, as long as you're still employed here, you'll have the opportunity to work on future classified projects. For now, just enjoy these new designs Mr. Kurobushi asked us to work on."

Namole nodded, and everyone was dismissed for lunch, but he remained. He was completely disappointed by the woman's answer, especially when he was given a task that he would now surely fail. He didn't want to think about what his boss would do to him when he returned with that information later.

* * *

Broly had been have a very good couple of months. During the summer he had adopted his pug, naming her Legend. She was settling into his place nicely. The dog had her moments, but she seemed to trust Broly and would come whenever he called. He had to admit it was nice having a pet, and he was thankful that Goku had gotten him on the path to have one. The shelter checked in helping him get all the equipment he needed, but really his friends all helped him as well. Bulma and Vegeta had come over a couple of times to visit, Trunks and Mai befriending Little Legend.

Everything had been going incredibly well, which seemed to mean a new challenge was about to afflict the man.

One day, at work, his phone rang, and as usual, Broly answered. "Ouji Corp. records department. This is Broly speaking. How may I direct your call?"

" _Broly, it's me."_ The panicked voice of his father filled his head. Broly's grip on the phone increased, and he was about ready to slam the device down, but Paragus must have known how his son would react. _"No, please, don't hang up,"_ he pleaded, sounding desperate. _"Broly, I need your help. I'm in prison."_

Broly resisted every instinct in his body to just say "good." Honestly, he believed his father deserved it after what he was willing to put Trunks through during his trial. Unfortunately, there was also the part of Broly that couldn't ignore that his father had gotten him out of prison when he had his first breakdown. As dutiful a son as ever, he decided to get more information and see if there was really anything he could do. "What happened?"

As Paragus filled Broly in on the charge, the record keeper paled, his heart racing. It turned out his father hadn't done anything to warrant an arrest. Broly could believe the man as he explained that Frieza had made some illegal dealing, siphoning money from one of his business partners under their nose in such a subtle way that it may have never been discovered. The problem was that it was, and Frieza had found a way to make Paragus the fall guy for the transaction. Paragus didn't even know what company it was for, so he couldn't even contact anyone to see what exactly had happened. And, as the father admitted to his son, even though he did know how to siphon money like that and had done so in the past, there had been no reason to do so now, especially not from another company. Basically, Paragus admitted to the same behavior at Ouji Corp., behavior he was sure Vegeta already was aware of but had never brought public. If he was admitting that, Paragus would have admitted to doing it again _if_ he were guilty.

A sigh escaped Broly, the feeling of owing his father for protecting him as a teenager flourishing. He wasn't going to tell his father how he'd help, and honestly he felt the man really should suffer the uncertainty a little bit more. "I'll think about it," he told the man, though he had already made his decision. "Goodbye, father."

He hung up before Paragus could protest or beg any more than he already had. Soon after, he called both Bulma and Vegeta to meet with him in Vegeta's office. He needed their advice and guidance on how to handle his father. No matter what they thought of the man, they would help Broly do what he had to. They were much better people than that.

* * *

Paragus was stunned when an officer came to his cell and told him that someone had come to post bail. He assumed it to be his son, but after his arraignment the judge had posted bail at such a high price that there was no way his son could pay it on his salary. When he was guided into center of the station, he saw none other than his arch nemesis standing across from him. Vegeta was standing there, arms crossed and waiting. Paragus almost wanted to turn right back around, but anywhere was better in those prison cells. "What are you doing here, Kurobushi?"

"Don't mistake this," Vegeta returned. "The only reason I'm helping you out is as favor to your stressed out son who is at home with my wife and kids." Paragus's expression softened. "Let's talk."

So, Paragus followed Vegeta outside of the station, and the two walked side by side practically hunched together. Vegeta needed answers. "Explain everything Frieza did," Vegeta demanded. "What's he planning?"

"I don't know," Paragus admitted, looking to Vegeta nervously. "I don't know… I wish I could tell you something, anything, but Frieza is difficult. The only thing I know is that he must need money for something if he did this, and he's been talking to some guy named Ginyu."

At the sound of Ginyu's name, Vegeta's eyes clouded over, and his mind began racing a mile a minute. For a moment, he was back in a memory of his past where Ginyu was talking about a powerful backer, but back in his college days Frieza hadn't yet taken over his father's company. Somehow, though, Frieza and Ginyu were connected. It couldn't be coincidence that Ginyu had shown up so many years later in this town unless Frieza had summoned him. If they were involved back when Vegeta was a gang member, what else did Frieza know about him? How much power did this Cold bastard have?

"Vegeta…" Paragus snapped Vegeta out of his thoughts, earning his attention.

"Quit working for Frieza," Vegeta ordered coolly. His eyes shifted slightly to regard his friend's father. "He's dangerous."

"No kidding," Paragus muttered before sighing. "Regardless of your friendship with my son, you didn't need to do this."

"You can't mount a defense from prison," Vegeta remarked. "At least not well. My attorney, Zorn, will be in touch." Paragus seemed surprise. "We're not letting Frieza get away with this."

"Watch yourself, Kurobushi," Paragus warned sincerely. "You don't know what that man is capable of. In any case…thank you."

Vegeta scoffed at that and walked off in the opposite direction. He didn't care about Paragus's warning. Honestly, if Frieza was involved with Ginyu, Vegeta knew _exactly_ what he was capable of.

And that was what was frightening him.

* * *

The rest of the week went off without a hitch. As for what Vegeta learned, he had only told Bulma and Jay, Bulma to warn her and Jay to investigate the connection between the two. It brought Vegeta back to a place he had really hoped he could forget. So many years later, he was being dragged right back into the unknown. This time, though, unlike the last, he had much to lose. No, he would never involve himself with Ginyu's gang again, but it didn't mean Ginyu or Frieza wouldn't come after his family. He would have to keep on the lookout. Trunks was practically always with Mai, and he knew what Ginyu looked like. That night he spoke to Paragus, Vegeta and Bulma thought it best to inform the teenagers, just in case, on the connection with Frieza. They hadn't wanted to worry Mai so much, but they couldn't keep this quiet, not when Frieza had recently threatened his wife.

There was a certain anxiety around the apartment after that day, but as always a mild round of mother/son bickering broke it. It was over something so small, and Trunks couldn't help but tease his mother about it. Like the first time Vegeta had met Bulma, the chemistry between her and her son was so genuine and easygoing. Trunks didn't mind pointing out his mother's silliness, and where Bulma seemed irritated, deep down she wasn't. Mai and Vegeta had witnessed many of their short squabbles, and like always they chuckled and smiled fondly at the pair. It definitely helped to alleviate the stress before another day of work and school.

School for the teens wasn't bad. Before homeroom, they met up again, talking about plans to meet up after school at the mall for the party. In AP Biology, the teacher had decided to give the class a back to school party right after their first exam before they watched some videos on current health topics. Mai had her first lunch group of the semester, and Trunks had spoken with Gure during math class, a class he still shared with Goten and Mai. That day, Mai was the one to guide Goten through the work which was thankfully fairly simple for the start of the year.

Goten and Valese had run into Goten's previous history teacher, the man glowering down at them in disgust. His former student was angered by the judgment of that man, but Valese pulled him out of it by stopping right in front of the teacher, planting a kiss on Goten's lips, shocking her boyfriend. His arms stretched out in shock before they wrapped around her and he snickered into the kiss. He knew his girlfriend was trying to get to that teacher who seemed to dislike Goten so much, but Goten wasn't going to complain. The teacher did though, snapping at the two to knock it off and get to class before he gave them detention. They did run off, but only after Goten said to his teacher, "Well, you did teach us that it's a free country with freedom to protest." The teacher shouted back at the students while Valese just laughed at her boyfriend's joke. Honestly, if they got detention for it, it would be completely worth it.

So, after school, everyone met up by the buses, and they walked to the mall together. Everyone had taken to showing Marron around this unfamiliar side of town, all the places they frequented from time to time. She was so happy to be among friends. Honestly, Marron had been getting tired of the rich kids at her school. Not all of them treated her like an outsider, but it just wasn't the best environment. It was better for her to be in public school with the ones she grew up with. It was even more exciting to her that she was going to her first party to bond with her peers.

"Alright," Trunks stated. "So…we really don't need to go shopping for the party, so we're going to let you ladies do your thing."

"Yeah, and we're going to head to the food court 'cause we're hungry," Goten chimed.

"You boys are always hungry," Videl teased. "Fine, fine. We'll meet you there. Come on, girls. We've got shopping to do."

"I never thought we'd ever hear that sentence leave her mouth," Valese said, leaning over to Marron, much like she had with Mai their first shopping trip for homecoming. Mai overheard and giggled at the joke. Videl just told the girl, jokingly of course, to screw off.

"No fighting, now," Mai gently chided. "We're just shopping for Paigen's back to school party Friday, so it's not going to be like when we had to search for formalwear. Any stores we want to try in particular?"

"I vote we just walk around and see where life takes us," Marron suggested.

"Good answer," Mai accepted. "Let's go, guys."

During the girls conversation, they left three flabbergasted guys standing there. "Do you think they even remembered we're still here?" Gohan asked.

"You know what," Trunks said, his confusion succumbing to a smile, "probably not, but at least they're getting along and having fun. That's what's important."

"True," Goten responded, looking back at the girls as they skipped away, his eyes never leaving Valese.

"Last one to the food court is buying," Trunks declared, shocking Goten out of his stupor. The spiky-haired teen looked next to him, seeing that his friend and brother were gone, and he was shocked. He sprinted after them, the two other boys laughing like crazy.

"No fair, you guys!"

After they left the spot where they had been standing, no one noticed a figure lurking in the shadows. Another teenager walked out of the side hall of the mall, eyes filled with amusement. It was none other than Kuriza, and what he had heard had been quite interesting. It seemed Trunks and Mai had settled into their new life well, and Kuriza was still floundering, from the mistakes he made, with his father. The ones to blame were happily running off in front of him. But, there was a glimmer of hope for the orange-haired teen. He overheard their conversation. The son of Frieza knew exactly where his enemies would be that Friday. Everyone knew about the girl's, Paigen's, parties. Kuriza smirked. He _would_ get his vengeance on the group, one way or another, and he'd do it by crashing that party.

* * *

Mai was mentally reminiscing about the time Bulma had taken her shopping with Valese, how similar and different everything was from then. Back then, Gohan and Videl had gone on their first date and weren't with them. Trunks and Goten had gone to the food court to satiate their hunger. Trunks had been encouraging a timid Mai to go, that if she needed him he'd be there. It was before her friend knew of the abuse at home, when Bulma found out but Mai had lied about her bruises. Bulma had been so perceptive, and Mai had been so scared. She never thought she'd ever be living a life where she was free and wasn't in pain almost every day. The previous year, she was living in her own personal hell.

Now, she finally felt like she was getting to live life like a normal person. Recently, she had voiced that statement to Bulma, the older woman saddened from her pain but happy to have the girl in her life. The woman had squeezed her shoulder comfortingly, telling her, no, assuring her, that life was only going to get better from there. Mai believed her. She wouldn't have a year ago, but she absolutely did now. Despite Vegeta's concerns about Frieza and an old adversary, Mai felt completely safe. Plus, Zarbon was put away for a decade. By then, she was sure he wouldn't be able to hurt her again. Perhaps, by then, she'd be free of her PTSD symptoms, or at least they'd be muted somewhat.

"Mai, you've been in there for twenty minutes," Videl called out. "Can we see what you're wearing or not?"

The raven-haired teen couldn't help but laugh. She also forgot that a year ago she and Videl couldn't stand each other. Now, they were really amazing friends. "I'm coming, I'm coming. No need to get your panties in a bunch." Videl practically growled at that, and the others laughed and her displeasure. Mai finally came out of the dressing room, wearing an outfit none of the other girls expected. Even Mai had to admit it was a bit out there, but she had her reasons. She was wearing a pure white skirt with a nearly sleeveless purple shirt with silver butterflies. The shirt was fitted tightly against her, and there was a spot that showed the skin of her belly. It was not Mai's style in the least, at least not her style from back where she was trying to hide all parts of her body. That's what this was about. After all of the abuse she endured, she had no reason to hide herself anymore. She was her own woman, technically her own parent despite seeing Bulma as her mother figure. "So, what do you think?"

Her three friends were staring at her, awed. "I think if you're trying to give Trunks a heart attack, you're going to succeed," Videl joked, but then she smirked. "It looks nice. Pretty safe to day you found your outfit."

"Definitely,"Valese agreed. "You look amazing." Marron merely nodded having never seen Mai in anything like that in all the years she'd known her. Mai smiled. This party was going to be one to remember.

* * *

Vegeta had called an emergency meeting in his office with only a select few people, namely the ones in his life. Broly was there along with Walsh, Nappa, and Raditz. Even Launch was called to the office, and the demeanor of her son-in-law was a bit disconcerting. It was then when Officer Jay entered the office, and Bulma knew what this was all about. Her concerned eyes met Vegeta's. Though he seemed calm, she could see the storm or emotions behind those dark eyes.

"What's going on?" Launch abruptly questioned, and, before Vegeta was ready, he had to explain everything.

"A troubled past is coming back to haunt me," Vegeta stated. He saw Raditz tense. His friend knew about Ginyu being in town and the dangers that posed. He looked over to Launch and sighed, shaking his head. "You warned me about pissing Frieza off, that he was dangerous, but you don't really know how true that actually is."

"What do you mean, Vegeta?" Nappa questioned, feeling his anxiety spike. He never heard Vegeta this deadly serious before even since taking over at the company. Something was wrong.

"Back when I was in college," Vegeta began, "I was in very bad straights. I had walked out on my family for my own reasons, reasons which my mother and I are currently working out, and most of the world thought _I_ was a sorry excuse of a man, a child that was throwing a tantrum by storming out, not knowing what had actually been going on at home. No one would hire me, as a way to spite me for my 'behavior,' and so to make sure I had money to feed myself and pay my tuition among other things, I got involved with a gang, five individuals that were 'looking out for me' who later on left me for dead. They were being backed by someone, even back then, and recently it came to my attention…I believe that backer was Frieza."

There were a couple gasps, mainly from Launch and Nappa, both looking as white as sheets. "What makes you so sure about that?" Raditz questioned. "There has to be a reason, or you wouldn't have called us here."

"I spoke with Paragus," Vegeta stated, shocking Nappa and Raditz. "He recently went to prison and called Broly, charged with a crime that Frieza committed. As a favor to Broly, I got involved. Recently, before the wedding, Frieza threatened Bulma in her office."

Launch looked to her stepdaughter. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Bulma met her gaze with confidence. "Vegeta and I were handling it," she explained. "Frieza didn't come after us again since then, but once we heard from Paragus that Frieza and one of the gang members from Vegeta's past were spotted together, we knew something was up, and so we asked Jay to look into everything."

"Which is why I'm here now," Jay explained. He looked to Vegeta. "We looked into the dealing with the help of your lawyer. Paragus was right. Frieza is siphoning money from other companies, and he's using it to pay someone a large sum of money. The money was transferred to an offshore account with the name Toku Sentai."

"Ginyu's alias," Vegeta breathed out, shaking his head. "Clearly, Frieza had contact Ginyu. He turned up months ago, asking me to back him, and I refused. He kept coming around, but after the last time I saw him shortly after Frieza's threat…"

"Does that mean what I think it does?" Nappa questioned Vegeta. He didn't need to elaborate. Frieza was gunning for Vegeta, and it was possible Bulma was being dragged into it as well.

"It means that we all have to be careful, and…" Vegeta paused looking over to the officer. "I'll be taking a restraining order out on Frieza Cold for me and the members of my family."

"Vegeta," Bulma gasped. She knew it was a possibility, but they had discussed it and thought it best not to provoke Frieza any further. When they tried to hit Ginyu with one, they found that the police could not locate him. He never stayed in one spot longer than a day, and he used many aliases, the officers were sure. Jay had gotten close to catching him once to have someone serve him that day, but then he escaped down an alleyway and never returned, as if he knew he was being followed. Maybe he had just assumed he would be.

"You can't do that," Launch warned. "Do you know how angry he'll be? The more you provoke him…"

"If you take out a restraining order, than Frieza Cold will be barred from certain business functions," Nappa explained, "and he will lash out because he _will_ lose business that way."

"Normally, I wouldn't," Vegeta remarked. "Had his attention stayed solely focused on me, I wouldn't even be considering it. I can handle myself. My fear is for my wife and the kids."

"Then I'll take out the restraining order against him," Bulma offered, "for me and the children. I was the one he threatened when he came into my office, and he made _me_ feel uncomfortable, showing up uninvited and unannounced, not leaving until I threatened security and then threatening me. If anyone should do it, it should be me."

"But then Frieza's attention will go against you," Broly countered.

"Maybe not," Walsh stated. "Look, if Bulma takes out the restraining order, then he can still attend those functions. He would have to stay away from Bulma, far away from her. If there are certain functions he must attend for business, Bulma can at least leave."

"I don't want her to leave," Vegeta growled.

"We have to play our cards right, Vegeta," Bulma reminded him, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Look, I don't like it any more than you do, but Frieza will definitely make a move if you do it. It has to come from me with assurances that it won't affect his company."

Vegeta sighed in derision, but he nodded reluctantly. "I also think it best to have more heightened security on the GR project," he told her. "The people in this room…we're the only one's I trust at this company right now aside from Lime. _We_ are the only ones I want working on that project."

Bulma grimaced knowing the members of her team would be upset, but for her safety and everyone else's she agreed. Likewise, their friends all agreed to help Bulma with whatever she needed. There was also an underlying "we need to keep our guard up and watch our backs" that Vegeta hadn't said, but they could all understand his unspoken concern. Something big was about to happen, and no one knew what it could be. All they knew was that Ginyu was involved, and Frieza just paid him a large sum to carry out an order. Vegeta feared that order was against his family.

* * *

It was the night of Paigen's party, and Trunks, Mai, and their friends all showed up to find that as crowded as it was, the party was really low-key. To be honest, the group was collectively surprised when they saw Paigen's parents talking with Connor's parents, overseeing the party. Than actually relieved Trunks. He assumed her parents wouldn't be there which was always the case in the past. It just went to prove that her parents had changed their lifestyle for their daughter, and it was no wonder Paigen had seemed more settled. Despite the lingering anger he still felt towards what she had put on Goten, they were all in so much of a better place now, and so he let it go and found he was happy for her.

The party actually had a pretty cool setup. It was still warm enough to swim if people desired, the pool open with all sorts of floats. There was music, and it was kind of set up like Trunks's and Mai's Halloween party where the everything in the living room had been moved around so that the floor was open and there were all kinds of flashing lights. Tables were full of food. People were dancing. Everyone looked like they were having fun.

Paigen and Connor came up to the group, Connor greeting them, glad to see them. "Hey, you guys made it."

"Yup, we did," Trunks replied. He looked around before smiling at Paigen. "You guys did a nice job."

"Thank you," Paigen chimed. She looked to Goten who still was avoiding her gaze and smiled sadly. "I hope you all have fun. There's food right over there. I'll tell you what everything is."

So she brought them all to the table explaining what all the food was. There were burgers and hot dogs and there were even wings of all flavors. Desserts of all kinds were all over the other table, and as they passed the nut bars Trunks asked, "Is there maple in those?"

Paigen's brow quirked in question. "Yeah, they do, why?"

Trunks's brow furrowed and he stepped away from them. "It's nothing…just, I'm highly allergic to maple."

Instantly, Paigen quickly went to take the tray and move it to a completely different table before awkwardly smiling at Trunks. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"That's okay," Trunks assured her. "I can smell it. I just can't eat it."

"Well," she replied, laughing through her nerves, "just enjoy the rest of the food. Also, try the honey punch. It's my mom's recipe of fruit punch with a hint of honey, no maple at all."

"We will, thanks," Mai replied, and then Paigen went off to greet more guests. Goten and Gohan went to the bowl to pour everyone a drink. They all gathered their food and drinks and did a random toast for an awesome school year.

After some time, eating and drinking the honey punch which they all liked a lot, Trunks returned to Mai with another glass of punch grinning. "So, having fun?"

"Strangely enough, yeah," Mai told him. "Paigen actually threw a good party."

The two looked out towards the living room where their friends were dancing. Gohan and Videl were dancing near Goten and Valese, all laughing and having fun. Marron was over at the side watching the festivities, another classmate going up to talk to her. The guy asked her to dance, and Marron jumped on the opportunity. Everyone was having fun. Trunks looked over to Mai, holding out his hand. "May I have this dance, beautiful?"

Mai blushed and nodded. "Of course, you big idiot."

Trunks grinned like one, leading Mai into the fray. Meanwhile, Kuriza was right around the corner, smirking as he got a malicious idea. He looked to the honey punch everyone had been drinking. He would use it to his advantage.

* * *

Bulma and Vegeta were home, Bulma pacing back and forth. It was the day that Jay was putting through the paperwork for the restraining order against Frieza. That shouldn't have been bothering her for Jay assured them Frieza wouldn't be served for a few weeks. Still, Bulma felt like something was wrong, and she felt terrible fear. Vegeta kept trying to calm her down and distract her, but Bulma couldn't shake this. She couldn't help but think that maybe she should have never looked into the gravity room project. That was what brought Frieza to them.

Vegeta continuously told her it wasn't. He explained to her that Frieza had been harassing him for years, even when he had run his first company. Bulma had been surprised by that, especially when Vegeta stated, "That's why I always had Trunks lie for me any time Frieza called in to make an appointment. I _never_ wanted to go into business with Frieza, knowing his reputation. Most of the companies that did business with him went under. Frieza is a predator, and it makes sense that someone like Zarbon worked for him…that he has ties with Ginyu…and that his son is a delinquent."

Bulma was about to respond, but, eerily enough, the phone chose that moment to ring. Timidly, Bulma went to answer. "Hello?"

" _Mrs. Kurobushi, thank goodness,"_ a woman's voice spoke. _"This is Paigen's mother. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, but I am with Trunks and Mai in the ER."_ Bulma was about to panic, but the mother assured her, _"Everyone is okay, but Trunks had an allergic reaction to something at the party. He's resting right now. I'm waiting with them until you get here."_

Bulma didn't even think to thank her, hanging up the phone immediately. She was more frantic than she was prior to the phone call. "Trunks had an allergic reaction," she breathed out in disbelief. "We need to get to the hospital." Vegeta wasted no time grabbing the keys, the two racing out of the apartment to get to their son.


	57. Chapter 56

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

There was a buzzing sound that came out of nowhere, an annoying ringing that caused Trunks to stir in the bed where he was sleeping. He started to open his eyes, blinking his bleary orbs. His head was killing him and he felt like crap. It was getting dark in the room. There was the beeping of machines. Trunks looked to his hand and saw that there was an IV tube there. Off to the side, Mai was there, holding his other hand, tears in her eyes. Her dark eyes met his glossy ones. "H-Hey," Trunks stammered, his voice hoarse. "What happened?"

Mai recounted the events of what occurred, Trunks listening with a furrowed brow. They had been dancing a lot, and they had exerted so much energy that they needed a break. Both of them were thirsty, so they needed a drink. Trunks decided to get more of the honey punch, and he and Mai clinked their glasses before downing the two cups. Right after, they went back to dancing.

While they were dancing, Trunks started to get hot to the point where he was having trouble breathing. They took another break, and Trunks then said he was feeling a tingling sensation in his mouth. Mai went to get him more punch to try to clear his throat. When she did, she caught a whiff of something and her eyes widened. She ran to Paigen instantly, frantic, pleading for help as she grabbed the unsuspecting girl.

Mai began to explain what was happening when they heard Goten yell out Trunks's name in fear. The girls saw Trunks wheezing and a rash was forming. Paigen ran to get her parents, and Mai returned to Trunks's side asking if he was okay. But Trunks could only utter the word, "Dizzy," before he practically passed out on Mai's shoulder. Paigen's father came over to them, lifting Trunks up, and he raced the boy to his car. The mother came to drive Trunks and Mai to the emergency room. When they got to the ER, Trunks lost consciousness.

"And then they took you in right away," Mai ended the story. "They gave you some epinephrine and waited with us. They told me you'd be okay. I was still worried, though."

Trunks was amazed that all of that happened. He hardly remembered much after Mai went to get him a drink. He kept trying to swallow, but felt like he was drinking moth balls. Vaguely, he remembered Goten trying to figure out what was wrong, but Trunks hadn't been able to answer. Somehow, something he ate also had maple in it. It had been a long time since Trunks had found out about his allergy. When he was little, he had a terrible reaction, but he didn't remember it being that bad.

As he tried to piece everything together, the door slammed open and Bulma came racing into the room, rushing to her son and placing kisses all over his face before asking if he was okay. Vegeta was there, too, walking over to his son and affectionately ruffling his hair. Trunks offered a weak smile, but Vegeta did not match his expression. "You gave us quite a scare," he told him.

"Sorry," Trunks apologized, his voice still a bit raspy. Bulma reached to a cup by his bedside and let him take a drink. "Thanks, mom."

"What happened?" Bulma asked, her voice shaky.

Trunks was about to tell them he wasn't sure when Paigen's mother entered the room. "Oh, I'm so glad to see you awake. We're so lucky we only lived down the street from here. An ambulance may not have gotten here in time."

The teenager shivered slightly. He didn't even want to think of it. Still, he knew he needed to say something to his mother. "I…guess I need an EpiPen now, but I don't understand why when it was never that bad before."

Bulma couldn't even guess why there was such a huge difference. The first and only time she had given him maple, it had just been a little bit, and he had only gotten a severe rash and by the time they got to the hospital his breathing only started to grow shallow. This, this she never anticipated for. They hadn't given him any of the strong drugs, mainly antihistamines, which seemed to have worked. They were always so careful, and Trunks never had an issue again.

It was then that Paigen's father showed up having sent all the other teens home. "I think I can answer that," he stated, holding out a bottle of pure maple syrup. Trunks's eyes widened as did his mother's. In the past, when Trunks had had the reaction, it had been to a store brand that had both natural and artificial flavors, diluted by comparison, and he never had the real stuff ever. "This is the culprit."

He looked to Trunks. "Did you tell them you had an allergy?" Trunks nodded, and Vegeta looked to Paigen's father. "Then how did that get into his system?"

The man sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I cleared out the party, and there was a kid Paigen and Conner had never seen before. But your kid's friends recognized him and saw him with this bottle. He poured it into the honey punch the kids were drinking. I already called the cops, and they came and took him to the station."

"Who was it?" Mai asked, her heart racing. She already had an inkling. There was only one person she knew that was cruel enough to put someone she loved in mortal danger.

"Some kid named Kuriza," the man replied. "He doesn't even go to the school. I don't know what he was doing there." Everyone in the room grew grim, Trunks glowering down at the white blanket as his bangs hid his face. Anger was all he felt towards the other teenager. He knew Kuriza hated him, but assaulting him and trying to murder him were two completely different things. Likewise, Vegeta was infuriated. He knew this whole issue had to be unrelated to Frieza, but at the same time he felt there had to be a connection. Trunks could have died at the hands of Frieza's son. Bulma and Mai, though upset and angered, exchanged glances of concern and alarm. "I take it you know him?"

Vegeta bristled, and in that moment he moved to Bulma and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll take care of this," he assured her. "You stay here with Trunks and Mai."

"I will," Bulma responded. "Actually, I need to find the doctors to get information." She looked over to Paigen's parents. "Thank you so much for getting him here. I don't know what I would've done…"

"You don't have to think about it," Paigen's mother interjected. She looked to Trunks and Mai and smiled. "Everything is okay, now. Just rest and relax. I hope you feel better, Trunks."

"Thanks," Trunks managed to get out despite raging inside. His mind still couldn't conceive that Kuriza had tried to kill him, and what had him even more furious was that he _knew_ Mai had to be blaming herself. He and Mai were left alone for the moment, Bulma leaving with Paigen's parents as she was filling the two in on the past happenings with Kuriza while also thanking them profusely for protecting her son.

Mai's eyes met Trunks, and she looked so completely disheartened. "I'm so-"

"Don't even," Trunks stopped her, growling. "Don't you dare apologize for that bastard."

His girlfriend laughed lightly and shook her head. "I was going to say 'I'm sorry Kruiza's an asshole."

That amused Trunks, and he smirked at that. "That's my girl," he teased. Then, he reached out or her, and she took his hand. "I didn't mean to worry you."

"It's okay," Mai replied, sitting down on the edge of his bed before moving to lie down next to him and cuddle. "I'm just glad you're okay. It was scary."

Trunks's grip on her tightened, and they leaned back against the bed. "I know, but like we all keep saying, I'm okay."

Mai nodded against him and nuzzled her nose against his neck. "I love you," she told him.

"Love you too, beautiful," he whispered lovingly. The two then allowed themselves to drift off since it was so late, both exhausted.

Bulma came back a few minutes later and found them like that and smiled, happy and thankful her boy was okay. She looked out the window, thinking of Vegeta. She knew that his anger rivaled her own, and he would do a good job of handling it, but she feared at what cost it would be considering Frieza was already pissed off. Looking to her son again, she realized she didn't care. As long as her children were safe, she just didn't care. Like Vegeta, she would rather take on Frieza then let him come anywhere near her family again.

* * *

Vegeta arrived at the police station to find Frieza already there with his son and the arresting officer. His fists tightened, rage settling in his heart. The irate father needed to compose himself, taking a deep breath before he marched with up to the other father and son pair. His fiery eyes landed on Kuriza who shirked away under the pressure before they met Frieza's impassive gaze. There was a silent standoff between the fathers. "My son is in the hospital," Vegeta stated, his voice indicating just how truly pissed he was.

Frieza tsked, looking to his fearful child. "Is he alive?" Truthfully, it didn't even sound like the monster cared.

The callous words caused Vegeta's anger to skyrocket, and he punched the desk right next to where Frieza was sitting. "For your son's sake, you better be thankful the answer is 'yes,' but that is far from the point. Kuriza nearly killed Trunks."

The officer breathed out a sigh of relief. "It's good to hear that the victim is alive." He looked between Frieza and Kuriza. "As I had just finished saying, if the boy lived, Kuriza will be looking at being charged with attempted murder provided the charges are filed."

Frieza glared at the man and said, "I'm sure us parents can work something ou-"

"File them," Vegeta demanded, shocking both Frieza and Kuriza. The officer understood and said he'd file the charges right away. That meant they could hold Kuriza until an arraignment, and most likely, with Frieza's resources, his son would have to remain in prison until the trial. Vegeta felt the boy was deserving. He was nearly an adult, and he had actually gone so far as to use Trunks's allergy against him. It was a wonder how Kuriza had even known, but he must have overheard. He could have said that there was a possibility Kuriza had been stalking Trunks, but the attempted murder charges were enough. That alone would put him away for a while once he was found guilty.

A furious Frieza yelled out, "How dare-?"

Again, Vegeta interrupted the man. "Your son nearly killed mine," he spat with an angry hiss. "He's not getting out of it this time. It was one thing when he assaulted him and no one was hurt. This time, a child _could have died._ Your son knows better." He returned his gaze to Kuriza who looked away guiltily. "This is going to trial. My wife might be a forgiving soul, but I am not, not when someone comes after my family, understand?"

Vegeta could assume that Frieza could hear the underlying message in Vegeta's words. Apparently, it had the opposite effect as Frieza smirked a sinister grin, realizing Vegeta _knew_. Unbeknownst to Vegeta, Frieza was taking his words as a challenge. "I understand perfectly," he replied. "I guess we'll see what the court has to say."

He then walked away leaving Kuriza alone with Vegeta in the station, Vegeta growling before he too stormed off. _You're right,_ he thought. _We will._

* * *

The next morning, Trunks was cleared to go home, the doctors having kept him overnight for observation. Mai and Bulma had stayed with him all night which he slept through peacefully. When they returned to the apartment, everyone had been there, waiting for him. Goten practically tackled Trunks for a hug, knocking the wind from his friend. He flashed him a heatless glare saying, "Man, you really have a knack for scaring the crap out of everyone, bro."

Trunks couldn't help but snicker at that, hugging him back. "Makes us even then, huh, bro?" Goten laughed and lightly punched his shoulder, calling Trunks a punk. The merriment left, though, as soon as Goku asked the dreaded question.

"What actually happened?"

Gohan spoke up, explaining what happened when they got there. "Paigen was showing us around, telling us what all the food was, and Trunks smelled maple and let Paigen know he was allergic. There were these nut bars, but Trunks didn't eat them, so I don't know how…"

"It was Kuriza," Trunks explained, his eyes clouding with anger again. He looked between his friends. "We heard you saw him there?"

"Yeah," Goten stated. "Well, only Marron and me did. We told Paigen's dad right away."

"Wait, that creep that Mai was telling us about?" Videl asked. She looked to Mai who nodded for confirmation.

"We saw him with a bottle of syrup," Marron explained. "He was next to the honey punch."

"Oh my God," Valese breathed out. "He put it in the drink?"

"How much of that stuff did you have?" Goku asked Trunks.

"Too much," Trunks stated. "It was really good, and so when we needed breaks from dancing, we'd get a drink or two before going back out there. That last time we took a break must have been when he put it in. I still don't even remember much."

"What was worse was I got you even more when you got hot and were starting to struggle breathing," Mai lamented. "I wish I had been smart enough to get you water."

"You couldn't have known," Vegeta stated, coming into the room. "You went for the nearest thing, and none of you had known Trunks had even ingested an allergen."

"My poor baby," Bunny cooed, going over to her grandson. "Well, the worst is over," she chimed lovingly. "You're safe and you're here, and the rest of it will be worked out, just like last time."

"Thanks Gramma," Trunks replied, smiling. "Anyway, I hope you don't mind, but I smell food and I'm kind of hungry."

"Oh," Goku spoke, "I almost forgot about that. Go and help yourselves. Chi Chi sent me with bagels and donuts and all sorts of stuff in case you didn't eat much at the hospital."

"Thank Aunt Chi for me," Trunks stated before looking to his friends. "Let's dig in."

So the teenagers followed suit, laughing and chatting, Bunny with them. Bulma looked to Vegeta, and he nodded, sitting close to Trunks to make sure he was okay, and Bulma smiled. Goku, though, didn't budge, which was very unlike him when food was involved. "Can we talk?" he asked.

Bulma looked over to everyone else and then pulled Goku off to the side so they could discuss everything. Clearly her friend knew her well enough to know something was off. "What about?"

"Something is going on," Goku sighed. "I don't know what, but I can feel it, Bulma. You've been a bit distant, and even Raditz has been acting off. I know that it isn't just about Kuriza. Bulma, what the heck as has been going on, and what are you going to do about what Kuriza did?"

"Vegeta is handling Kuriza," Bulma stated. "I trust him to handle it how he sees fit. Goku, you're right, and I'm sorry, but I can't focus on all of that other stuff right now. I promise to tell you soon, but right now I honestly just want to hold my son and never let go. I could have lost him…"

Goku took her hand and squeezed it, reassuring her. She gave her best friend a big hug and mentally thanked God that Trunks was safe and sound and that He had given her the chance to watch her son interacting with he friends so energetically rather than what the worst case would have been. Her friend could have been hugging her for a completely different reason. "I understand, Bulma," he told her, "more than you could ever know."

"I know," Bulma whispered, remembering the day Goten went missing. "Anyway, enough of this. We can talk later. Right now, our family is waiting for us."

"Yeah, okay," Goku answered softly. "Whatever you need. You're always there for me. I just want you to remember that I'm there for you too."

Bulma answered him with a nod, the two of them joining the others at the table. Bunny was already telling a multitude of stories to distract the teenagers from the unsettling events from the previous night. Her daughter smiled, leaning against the walls as she listened to some of their old stories, some which Trunks already knew, some that she told Vegeta and some that she hadn't thought to tell him. It was exactly what they needed, especially when Bulma knew everything was going to get hectic again. There was no way that Vegeta would let Kuriza get away with harming their son, and that meant that there would just be another court case. Thankfully, her son wasn't the one being tried, but she had a feeling it would bring up some horrible memories for him. She could hardly imagine what her boy was feeling, and she knew that he would most likely internalize everything.

But she didn't have to worry, because Trunks had amazing friends and a strong family that would back him. He would be okay. Bulma still just felt very tense about it all, not just what had happened the previous night, but everything with Frieza, Ginyu, and even her own project. Fear was starting to take over, most likely what Vegeta didn't want for her, but she couldn't help it. She really couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was about to unfold. Bulma was hoping that she was wrong and that it was just the anxiety her body had conditioned her to feel.

"Mom, you okay?"

Snapping out of her daze, Bulma's attention returned to her family. Her son was looking at her with his concerned, blue eyes. "Yeah, I'm okay," she assured him, taking a seat by him and giving him a big hug. "Why don't you tell me about school yesterday."

Trunks beamed and chattered on about the whole day, skipping any talk about the party. The rest of the morning took on a peaceful tone, though every so often, Bulma and Vegeta exchanged knowing glances. As usual, this was going to be the calm before the storm, but, at least together, they were ready for it.


	58. Chapter 57

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

Everyone at school had heard about what happened to Trunks at Paigen's party. The following Monday, so many of their classmates came to his locker to make sure he was all right. Trunks was a bit put off by all the attention. He had spent the weekend trying _not_ to think about the party. Mai and Goten did a good job of keeping him distracted. His mother and father filled their weekend with many activities. The teenager really appreciated all they were doing, but it only served to remind him of what almost happened. He knew he'd have to shake this eventually, but a few days out was not enough time.

During his and his friends' morning rendezvous, Paigen showed up like all the others, apologizing profusely for what happened. She told them she felt responsible, and Goten surprised everyone by stopping her. "It wasn't your fault," he stated firmly. "Some drama from outside of school followed us there. There's nothing you could have done."

"Well, I don't know," Paigen sighed. "Still, is there anything I _can_ do?"

So many people had been asking that all morning, and Trunks had finally had enough. Quickly, he shut his locker door before turning to face their classmate. "Really, I'm _fine_ ," Trunks said, awkwardly laughing. "There's no need to make a huge deal about it. Anyway, I have to go. See you guys later."

Mai was startled by her boyfriend's abrupt departure, and she called out to him as well as Goten. Both friends exchanged knowing glances. Even if Trunks had just said it wasn't a big deal, it was a big deal to him. It was really hitting him hard that he could have died from something he had believed to have control over. That alone would make anyone nervous, even their happy-go-lucky friend. Over the weekend, they both had tried to keep him distracted, but only after Trunks told them both he didn't really want to talk about the party. They were both worried it would eat him alive if he didn't say something, but, even after asking him if he was sure, he avoided talking it.

No one could blame Trunks for being shaken by the experience, but their concern for him was growing every time he tried to make light of it. Of course, the group didn't realize that the reason Trunks left so suddenly was because he was thinking about hiding out in Gure's office for a bit. He was feeling overwhelmed, and he thought it best to talk to Gure before he went to his classes. Besides, he didn't think he could handle anyone else making a huge deal over it. He needed a moment to pull away from the others, if only for a moment.

* * *

It was later in the day, during Mai's lunch group, and the raven-haired teen was lost in thought. She was worried about Trunks. He missed his first class, coming in much later during the second class. Mai had assumed Trunks had gone to talk to Gure since he came in with a pass. She had tried to ask him, but her boyfriend only hugged her tight and said they had another class to get to.

Honestly, Mai was worried about Trunks. He had been so quiet since the party, and that wasn't usually his nature. She couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. A sigh escaped her as she drew a beautiful picture that reflected what she was feeling inside. Dark and muted colors were taking over more vibrant colors, and Mai couldn't help but feel that was exactly what she was doing to Trunks.

A girl looked over Mai's shoulder and stole Mai's attention away from her art. "That's a really beautiful piece," she told her. "Are you thinking of submitting it for the school art show?"

"Hm?" Mai questioned. She didn't really know about the art show or many of the school's programs. The previous year, her mind was elsewhere and her life was completely different.

"What inspired you to draw this?" the girl asked, oblivious to Mai's inner thoughts.

The girl sighed and shook her head. "Because I feel like I'm destroying the only light in my life."

Gure overheard the girl, not at all surprised to hear those words given what Trunks had told her earlier when they spoke. The counselor was about to speak up, but then the bell rang signaling the end of lunch. Her students got themselves together, ready to head out for the day. Mai prepared to go, also, but more slowly. "Mai," Gure called out, "would you mind staying for just a moment?"

Mai's head snapped up to see Gure staring at her. The woman smiled at her and took a seat beside her. "What's up?" Mai asked hesitantly.

"I have a message for you," Gure informed her. "From Trunks."

"Trunks?"

Gure nodded. "He came by earlier to talk," Gure told her. "He told me he was worried you'd be blaming yourself for what happened, and he knew we had group today. He asked me to tell you that, if I heard you blaming yourself for any of it, I was to tell you that it just isn't true."

Mai chuckled slightly, muttering, "That idiot," fondly. Her expression then fell before she told Gure, "How could it not be true? I feel terrible. Trunks was always such a bright, lively, optimistic guy, and since becoming involved with me, even as a friend, I hurt him. I told him he would never understand because life was easy for him, which clearly isn't true. He was arrested because of me, and now he was nearly killed because of me. I feel terrible."

"It wasn't because of you, Mai," Gure assured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Trunks knows that, and so does everyone else. Mai, you were a victim of abuse, and because of that you were taught to blame yourself for things that were beyond your control. Other people were responsible for what happened to Trunks. Zarbon was the one who had him arrested and Kuriza was the one who caused the anaphylaxis. As for what you said back then, I'd say you and Trunks have come a long way since then, and it was something you said out of fear and anger at your situation. You don't feel that way."

"No, I don't," Mai responded softly, "but that doesn't matter. Zarbon went after him because of me and so did Kuriza, and now he's going to be haunted by this forever."

"Again, Mai, it's not because of you, not at all," Gure enforced. "Zarbon and Kuriza are responsible for their own actions. They went after Trunks because they chose to continue on a dark path. Trunks also wanted me to tell you something else. He's okay, Mai. He is. He's just shaken up, but he said he'll be fine, and he doesn't blame you in the slightest because it was absolutely not your fault."

"Part of me knows that," Mai accepted, "but I still struggle."

"We all do," Gure admitted. "It will be okay. You just need to keep telling yourself that."

Mai nodded in agreement before excusing herself to go to class. Her mind was trying to follow Gure's instruction, but it was still so hard to accept what her mind knew in her heart. She shook her head, leaving Gure's office. Once outside, she was frozen in place as her eyes met Trunks's. He was standing there, waiting for her as always, despite class having started. He offered her a weak smile, then asking if she was okay. Her mind shut up for a moment, leaving her alone like she had wanted, and she found herself running up to her boyfriend before kissing him in the hall. Trunks responded immediately, his hands finding her waist and holding her steady and close to him. It was then that a hall monitor showed up and snapped at the students to get to class. They broke away, both laughing for a moment, before racing off to class together, hand in hand, fingers laced.

* * *

That Monday, Bulma and Vegeta invited everyone over for family dinner. They thought it best for Trunks to be around others for a while. Tarble and Gure were there as well as Launch and Bunny, and everyone was thankfully getting along. Of course, during their meal, Vegeta received a call from Zorn and took it into the other room. He was doing his best to keep everyone on a need to know basis. After he returned to the table, everyone wanted to know about the call.

Vegeta released a heavy sigh before he grew serious. "The judge bumped up Kuriza's trial due to the severity of what happened and also to make a statement to Frieza as his parent," he explained.

"That doesn't sound good," Bulma murmured. "What is he looking at?"

"He is seventeen," Vegeta stated, "so Kuriza can be tried as an adult. The maximum penalty for attempted murder is ten years. This judge doesn't seem like the lenient type which could actually be better for us, but I'm not sure how Frieza will react to it."

Trunks's eyes widened the second Vegeta mentioned the amount of time Kuriza could spend in prison. He was completely surprised by that, and his father's words had the opposite effect than probably what the man thought. Honestly, all Trunks could envision was how much of life Kuriza would be missing. As the victim who nearly lost his life, one would think he'd want to send Kuriza to prison for the majority of his life, but as someone who once spent the night in a prison cell he could only think of how terrible it was and how he wouldn't wish a night like that on his worst enemy. "Do you think that means he'll go away that long?"

Vegeta shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. The sentencing for attempted murder can be anywhere from one to ten years. Like I said, this judge doesn't seem lenient considering he pushed up the court date. Apparently, he's one of the many judges who has wanted to make an example of Frieza but never had the proof of his crimes. It wouldn't surprise me if Kuriza received the full sentencing." He saw Trunks's expression sour slightly, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why are you asking?"

Trunks looked away, hiding his face as he lied and said, "No reason. I was just curious." Deep down, though, he felt sick to his stomach over the fact the other teenager's life could end so soon. Even though Kuriza did something so heinous and it had affected Trunks, he still didn't sit well that someone could suffer what he had because of him, even Kuriza. He knew his mom and dad were trying to protect him, and rightly so. He just didn't know if he could accept any of it.

"Can I be excused to lie down?" Trunks asked, looking to both of his parents. "I'm kind of tired."

"But you barely even touched your food," Bulma said, her eyes conveying her worry over her son.

Trunks grimaced slightly, not wanting to concern his mother, but he didn't want everyone to see any more of his uncertainty. "I'm not really hungry. I'll eat later."

Bulma's lips pursed, but she reluctantly allowed him to leave the table. "Well, alright. Go rest. I'll heat up your food later."

"Thanks, mom," Trunks responded, glancing over to his father. He could see that Vegeta was studying him, and so he went upstairs to his own room and locked the door. This was where he planned to stay the rest of the night alone. He couldn't let anyone know what he was feeling. He was certain they'd all think he was crazy for showing any concern for Frieza's kid.

* * *

The day of the trial came up so quickly, not even a week later. They had gone through the proceedings which had been a train wreck for the side of the accused. To the onlooker, it seemed as if it were Trunks versus Kuriza with their fathers standing beside them. In actuality, it was a terrified teenager who, not only admitted to his wrongdoing when his own lawyer questioned him and tried to silence him, told the courts that he didn't expect the victim to get that sick. Really, he even admitted that his goal was to make him blow up a little bit thinking he'd look funny and embarrassed himself like he saw on television shows. He never expected it to go further beyond that. Kuriza was found guilty of the crime, regardless of intent, and his sentencing was decided.

Ten years in a maximum security prison with no chance of parole. Kuriza's life was over.

The judge was about to dismiss the jury and everyone else, but Trunks stood up and said something that shocked everyone. As he met Kuriza's eyes and recognized the look of terror, he did what Goten had done for him. Ignoring the animosity between his father and Frieza, not to mention Frieza's ire, he stepped forward and called out, "Wait," shocking everyone in the court. Zorn looked to Trunks, questioning what he was doing. "I'm the victim. Can't I speak?"

"I've made my decision," the judge stated. "You're safe now."

"I still want to say something," Trunks argued. "Please. It's important."

Kuriza's lawyer tried to object, but the judge decided to allow it if only out of curiosity. So, Trunks was sworn in, much like he was during his own trial. He remembered when he was on the stand speaking for his own life, and now, here he was, speaking for someone else's.

The court let Trunks have free rein over what he was saying since the verdict was already given. "I remember a while back when I was wrongfully accused," Trunks stated, looking to the judge. "My night in prison was rough. It still haunts me to this day despite how easily I can hide it from others. I…I know what Kuriza did was wrong, that I could have died, but having been the one who was nearly killed, I feel maybe I should have some say in the sentencing."

Frieza's lawyer objected, and the judge overruled it. Honestly, both that he was about to ask for life, but instead the teenager stunned everyone in the court room. "Please, don't ruin his life. He's a jerk, a jerk and an idiot, but he's still just a kid." He looked over to an astonished Kuriza. "A misguided kid." His attention turned back to the judge, his firm, blue eyes imploring the man to agree to his terms. "Wouldn't it be better to have him do community service and become a productive member of society instead of sending him to jail for a huge part of his life?"

Trunks said nothing more. He stepped down and met the surprised glances of his parents and girlfriend. There was a commotion in the court because of his request, the judge calling order. Kuriza looked over to Trunks as he came down, but the lavender-haired teen would not meet his gaze, looking angered, but even Trunks seemed anxious knowing that it wasn't likely that his words would amount to anything. There was no way Kuriza was going to be let off the hook so easily. But, there was a glimmer of hope for him.

The judge called a recess and demanded the two attorneys meet him in his chambers. It was in private that they came to a settlement. Kuriza was found guilty. Nothing could change that. Still, the judge decided to honor Trunks's words, and instead of ten years in prison, Kuriza would spend a couple months in a local precinct so that he would see what his actions could lead to. After those months, he would be released and monitored, unable to leave the city, and he would be forced to do community service activities for the next ten years instead.

As Kuriza was about to be taken away, his eyes met Trunks's, and Trunks could see how thankful the teenager was from his eyes. He nodded to Kuriza, shocking the teen, but Kuriza nodded back as the officers cuffed him and took him away.

* * *

Later, Vegeta and Bulma had a very long talk with Trunks at home about why he did what he did. The teenager was prepared for it. After all, what he had done completely went against their instinct to protect him. "Okay, let me hear it," Trunks murmured quietly. "How much trouble am I in?"

"Why did you do it?" Bulma was the one who asked the question to which both she and Vegeta wanted an answer. They court had Kuriza, and he would have been contained and no longer a threat to their son or Mai.

Trunks grimaced and shook his head. "I basically said it all on the stand," he stated. "I don't want to talk about it."

He was about to get up, but Vegeta called his name sternly, in a no-nonsense manner, effectively halting him. "Sit back down," he commanded. So, Trunks listened, sighing and shaking his head. He didn't meet their gazes, fearing judgement, but if he had looked up he would have seen his parents exchanging worried glances. Apparently, despite the amount of time Vegeta spent talking with Trunks, the teenager still hadn't confided everything he was feeling. Vegeta could tell that Trunks was waiting to be berated. He wasn't going to do that to the boy. "Let's talk about this," he said gently, and Trunks's eyes snapped to his understanding gaze. "Tell us why, all of it."

Their conversation went on for a while, and Trunks did tell them all of it. He knew Mai was upstairs waiting for him, but she had left him alone with his parents when they got back. She probably sensed his need to get it all out. "I know I was the victims and all, but I just really couldn't stand the thought of being the one to send someone around my age to prison."

"You wouldn't have been the one to send him to prison," Vegeta corrected. "I would have."

"But you know how haunted I've been," Trunks explained. "I know you were angry, both of you, and I get that. And I know what happened to me is over and done with, but it was still pretty traumatic. For that split second where I was being beaten for something I didn't do…that could have been my life. I know it's nothing like what Mai went through on a daily basis, but it's there."

Patiently, Bulma listened, and when her son was done with his explanation, she asked, "Would you want me to schedule you an appointment with a therapist?"

Trunks shook his head, rejecting the offer. "It's not that bad yet," he told her, "but if it gets that way, I'll let you both know. It's just I get nightmares sometimes, but I don't really feel anxiety over it or combine reality with fantasy. I usually just wait a moment to take in my surroundings and I look over at Mai and tell myself it was just a bad dream and everything is okay."

Vegeta stood up abruptly, startling both Trunks and Bulma, and he walked over to the teenager and placed a hand on his shoulder as he knelt down in front of him. "You are both noble and brave," he commended the boy blinking at him in a daze. "You are a better man than I am for what you did today. I would not have made the same decision as you. I was angry, bitter, even slightly vengeful, but most of all terrified, and I would have been willing to send him away. But I didn't think about any of the stuff you had told me or what you're telling us now. Kuriza did not deserve your mercy, but you gave it anyway." He smirked at the boy. "It seems I can learn a lot from you. I'm proud of you, son."

The teenager beamed over the praise from Vegeta that all the tension and animosity from this conversation melted away. "Thanks, dad," he responded sincerely. "For that and for looking out for me. Even if some of it had to do with Frieza, I know you and mom were just trying to protect me."

"Speaking of protection," Bulma interjected, "I called your doctor. Tomorrow you have an appointment, and the doctor is going to prescribe you the EpiPen so that we don't risk this ever again."

"Alright," Trunks replied, grimacing slightly before he had a thought. "Hey, do you think Mai can come too and after we all go out for breakfast before we go to school?"

"I don't see why not," Vegeta answered. "I think that sounds like a great idea." Bulma nodded in agreement. Honestly, after all her son endured recently, especially after his bravery, he deserved to have whatever he wanted. Besides, Bulma would never deny her son's request for family time. That was always a given.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the police station, another father/son pair were having an exchange.

"How is it that I raised such a failure?" Frieza shouted at a scrunched up Kuriza who was sitting at the other side of a table. His father had gone with him back to the precinct demanding an hour visitation with his boy. "If you were going to go after your enemy, you follow through with the execution no matter what. I taught you that!"

Kuriza felt frozen inside, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. He could remember all the times in the past where his father tried to teach him his way of getting ahead. When he had been younger, Frieza had berated him for being a good kid who never got into fights and always tried to avoid them. Kuriza was always bullied, even though he was just as rich as the other kids' families. He had thought they were all the same, but he was always the one targeted, always the one pulverized and never fighting back. His father had been disgusted by his weakness and told him to man up and crush his enemies. If he got in trouble for it, money and threats was all it took. It was what gave their family power. So, in response to it, Kuriza ignored the fear and got even with his classmates in a way that made everyone terrified of who he was. Only then did Frieza show pride in his son.

The boy did everything he could to get the best grades, mostly by his own hard work, but sometimes by cheating when his father showed displeasure in his work. At the same time, he became the bully, crushing his enemies like he was taught. Frieza eventually stopped caring, barely paying his grades notice and no longer paying attention to his son's exploits. The only time he had gotten involved with Kuriza's life lately was if he messed up. If he got caught cheating, in trouble for fighting, or even the recent happenings with Trunks Hamasaki turned Kurobushi, that's when his father focused his attentions on him. Even then, he berated him and made him feel lower even through he _tried_ to live up to his father's expectations and teachings and even though he _tried_ to take his enemies out.

Now, as his father sat here screaming at him, Kuriza was realizing something he didn't want to admit. No matter what he did, nothing would ever be enough for his father. He was nothing but a disappointment and waste of space to the cruel businessman. Kuriza could never be like Frieza, even if he tried to emulate the one man he looked up to. His father would only support him financially and with lawyers to protect his own image, and now that his image was tarnished for having a societal screw up of a son…Kuriza would be lucky if Frieza didn't disown him right then and there.

And now, he had to live with the fact that he nearly killed someone out of desired revenge. Kuriza had hated Trunks. He was everything Kuriza was not and he had everything Kuriza only dreamed of. The teenager couldn't help but lose himself, his father continuing his tirade, thinking back to when he had been such an ass to Mai. Honestly, when he met her when they were younger, he was disgusted by Zarbon's behavior. When he broached the subject with his father, he never did so again. His father never cared and actually made it sound like the girl somehow did something to deserve it. When he continued to pry and ask questions, he received a smack himself and told to mind his own business. After that, Kuriza pretended to ignore and seem fascinated by it, just like his father seemed to be. He didn't have the courage to do what Trunks had. Truth be told, he was terrified of both his father and Zarbon. Zarbon had even made him swear on his life that he'd never tell, another moment where he assured the man he would because he "actually found it kind of funny." His father's associate had ruffled his hair and laughed with mirth, Kuriza's stomach lurching.

Trunks, his sworn enemy and rival, was completely different than himself. He helped others and even helped him when he didn't have to. He was fearless and kindhearted and brave, and even when he was the one who nearly lost his life he found a way to make the fallout less than what it would have been. Kuriza didn't even mind the couple of months he'd have to spend in the prison cell. He could have buried him, but he didn't. Honestly, in contrast to what Kuriza should have been feeling, he felt free.

No longer did he have to follow his father's thought process. Instead, he would need to do community service to make up for all the wrongdoings he had committed. His grades at school would surely suffer this marking period, but it just would show that he wasn't perfect. He had been truthful on the stand, admitting to his crime while explaining that he really had no idea what the severity would be. His father had wanted him to remain silent, but he needed it to be on record. Part of him wanted Trunks and Mai to know that he hadn't truly meant for it to go as far as it did. The reason he hadn't run away like his father screamed he should have was because he was in shock over what his actions caused. He couldn't lie and say it didn't happen. He couldn't cover up what he did. He didn't want to.

Kuriza was not his father.

With that thought, he straightened himself out a little bit, his father's words becoming nothing but chatter in his ears. He didn't care that he hadn't be malicious enough or calculating enough or strong enough to take out Kurobushi's "new bastard heir." Kuriza was free, and he would become different. He'd be better. He didn't know how he'd ever be able to repay Trunks, but he promised himself he would.

Some day.


	59. Chapter 58

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

* * *

Weeks had passed since the Cold versus Kurobushi trial, and the world around the families were business as usual. At least it was for the Kurobushi family. Frieza had made himself scarce after his son had been imprisoned. Vegeta didn't necessarily trust the other businessman. In fact, he and his wife suspected Frieza was plotting against them even more, especially when Bulma's petition for the restraining order had come through. They saw the man again for the trial that put the order in place, Bulma explaining the incident in her office and pointing out what happened with her son. She couldn't prove that it had been a set up, and Frieza couldn't prove that it hadn't even by stating that his son had thought it a harmless prank. The restraining order was awarded angering Frieza further, but now at least _he_ couldn't cause any sort of damage.

After that, everything had seemed to settle down. Those who Vegeta stated could assist Bulma with the GR Project had done so, and the other employees didn't seem to mind the removal from the project except for the newbie, Namole. Bulma truly pitied the man. It seemed he really had his heart set on assisting, but Vegeta's warnings rang clear in her head. Even though she knew Kuriza's actions were his own and not a part of his father's threats, she still kept seeing her baby boy in the hospital bed. The what could have beens haunted her, and so despite her compassion for the seemingly anxious Namole, she followed through with Vegeta's orders. The project was running slower, but everything still ran smoothly. As for her original team and the other scientists, Bulma made sure to keep them active on whatever other projects Vegeta and the board suggested.

Home life had become a little hectic with Trunks's football season starting up and Mai's desire to feature some of her artwork in the school art show at the end of the month. Mai and Trunks had taken to sleeping in separate rooms again, Mai staying up well into the early hours in the morning perfecting all of her projects and not wanting her boyfriend to see any of them before the show. All Trunks knew was that Mai had been a hell of a lot happier than he had seen her in a while. They still made sure to have some cuddle time when Mai needed breaks, and Trunks was always happy to oblige.

During that time, between Mai's show and practices, Trunks, Goten, and Gohan were spending more time together. It wasn't that they hadn't gotten together since Paigen's party, but their focus had been split. One day after practice, the three boys were finally relaxing, and Goten had filled Gohan in about his plans for Valese while asking his twin not to tell their parents just yet. Gohan was surprised at the bold move his brother had planned for his girlfriend, but he smiled and showed his support happy that his brother could take such risks. Their previous year in school had been awful for his younger twin, but it seemed that he was growing into his own. No, they wouldn't have a repeat from the previous year. It seemed that, despite the incident at the party, this year was going to be better.

* * *

Mai took a deep breath, the teenager completely nervous for her big night. It had been weeks in the making, but she still couldn't believe she was actually going through with it. This time before the show was for the students to arrange their artwork before letting in those who were attending this Student Art Night.

She couldn't wait to showcase her art to her family. Everyone was there. Trunks was so proud of her as were his parents. Pilaf took off of work just to spend time with her that evening. He was so happy for her finally being able to do all the things she had been missing out on by hiding. Goku's family was there, and so were all of Trunks's grandmothers, including Vegeta's mother. Valese, Videl, and their fathers were also there, and even Marron's family. Mai never expected to have this many people there just to see her. They had all come to show support, to cheer her on.

Once it was time for the doors to open, they all came directly to her so she could present all her art. In contrast to what she had been drawing in lunch group, there was nothing but brightness in all of her works. Trunks's eyes settled on one work that was unlike the others. It was a painting, one that didn't take on any defined shape. Still, he could see formations that looked like the color of stone and water, and though it didn't take on a specific form, it seemed like whatever object it was had "arms" wrapped around something that looked like a rain cloud. His blue pools met hers, and she knew he saw through the meaning of her work. She smiled so brightly at him, and he returned her expression silently mouthing his nickname for her, "beautiful." Instead of calling him an idiot like she normally did, she allowed the bashful feeling to wash over her.

As the night progressed, Mai presented her works to many people she didn't know or classmates she recognized. Her family and friends didn't stray far, occasionally talking to her and praising her work. Beside herself, Mai found herself wiping away a tear once or twice, feeling her heart burst from all the love she was feeling around her.

* * *

The art show had inspired Mai's group of friends, and a week later, they were all trying to figure out their passions. Trunks still had no idea, open to anything. He still really liked the scientist/marine biology route, but part of him was really coming closer to Vegeta. Never did Trunks ever think he'd _ever_ contemplate becoming a businessman like his grandfather. In fact, he always disliked the type save his uncle. Vegeta was nothing like he envisioned. Despite his determined and sometimes slightly cutthroat nature in the business world, he was still a fair and family oriented individual. Trunks didn't know if he was cut out for his father's type of job, but now he was keeping an open mind. He'd figure it out in college.

Goten still had no idea yet, but he was starting to feel less anxious about it given the sense that he had grown more relaxed over the month. Gohan knew his calling was to be a professor, though he would have to get over the slight anxiety he had around crowds. He was already doing much better speaking in front of people and shaking off his social anxiety. Valese was planning to go into the art field mainly as a fashion designer. After the art show, she picked up her own sketchbook and started drawing sketches for outfits and dresses that she envisioned. Videl was on the opposite spectrum wanting to do something with a little more of an adrenaline rush. She didn't know what yet, but at least she had a direction.

And then there was Marron who also was inspired to chase her dreams. She had always loved decorating, helping her parents pick out colors, furnishings, and finishings whenever they redid a room. The girl was constantly changing her room and always had these new ideas. Maybe it was from watching the home network with her parents all the time.

Either way, she wanted to do more, and she wanted to do it early. Marron spoke to her friends about it quite a bit, so much so that Vegeta overheard. Ironically, he had been thinking of redecorating his office. Bulma had made hers so homey, a place that was hers, and Vegeta realized he hadn't changed out anything of his father's. Though his family home had been decorated with a wealth of antiques, his father's office was practically bare save an old desk and some chairs. It was time for a change.

Marron hummed along to a song she was listening to as she looked at some magazines to get some ideas. She and Vegeta had already discussed his tastes and likes and dislikes. Her plane was to present a couple of different options to the man, hopefully all of which he'd like. She both could and couldn't believe he was giving her a shot as an actual professional. He had done it for Trunks and Mai, but they were practically his family.

Vegeta was watching the teenager as she diligently started jotting down ideas. They had just gotten done talking about what he wanted done with his office, and she was already in the zone of trying to come up with floor plans.

"I don't get you sometimes," the voice of the girl's mother spoke. Vegeta looked to Juu who was smirking at him amused. "Big, bad businessman when you need to be, but Good Samaritan the next. You always seem so stoic, even at holidays and such, and yet here you are doing the biggest favor for my daughter when you barely even know us."

Vegeta shrugged and pointed out, "You helped Mai. What makes this any different?"

"One, helping Mai was my job, necessary, and the right thing to do, and also my daughter and our family had an attachment to her," Juu explained, "and second is Mai isn't your child."

She may as well have been considering he saw Trunks as a son and Vegeta didn't see him and Mai parting any time soon. Honestly, he believed one day she would be his daughter-in-law, but he wasn't going to talk about anything so emotional with this woman. She was right. He barely knew them except through Bulma. They came to functions, but Vegeta honestly didn't "hang out" with her or her husband at any given time. Still, he already knew the answer to her question.

"I always reward those who go after what they want," he explained, "and those who show aptitude for hard work. Nothing in life is free or easy, and you have to be willing to do whatever it takes to make a life for yourself…within reason."

"There's the Good Samaritan again," Juu teased. "In any case, thank you for helping my daughter. I didn't think I could handle her remodeling every room again. Every month, we have to deal with a new paint color somewhere."

Vegeta actually chuckled at that. "I also reward those with drive. Your daughter has a lot of it. I'm looking forward to seeing her ideas." It was very rare for Vegeta to see the blonde woman wear a smile softer than her normally teasing grin, but when he said those words she actually did. As any parent did, the woman took pride in her child. It was moments like these where Vegeta became stoic, but he fought it this time. This time, he silently reflected on why he always reached out to those who wanted to further and better themselves.

It was what society failed to do for him all those years ago, and he knew he would forever continue on the path he had forged for himself and others.

* * *

On a Friday night, the boys were ready for one of their biggest games of the season, a game against their rival school, the school Vegeta had gone to as a teenager. The women had met up for something, something that Trunks and Mai had no ideas over, but it was okay. There was plenty of support in the stands that night.

"Whoo! You go boys! You can beat 'em!"

Vegeta glared over at his wife's idiotic best friend, the man embarrassing him by making such a spectacle of himself. It was one thing to show support, but he was obnoxious about it. It looked like the school store had thrown up memorabilia on him and that a paint factory had exploded on his face. Tarble happened to laugh at the man's antics, but even Vegeta could tell he felt awkward over the man's behavior. Still, at least he was showing support however ridiculous.

The businessman looked to the field, watching Trunks carefully. He really did enjoy getting to see him play. He remembered the first time he came to a game with Bulma. She always came to his games, although on this night Vegeta had her go spend some time with her friends. The woman had been both stressed yet excited between work and the fact that she and Vegeta had started the process of adoption. They were waiting to tell Trunks and Mai. Apparently, nothing was a sure thing, something they heard from all of the agencies to which they had spoken, but they were still optimistic. The agencies assured them the utmost privacy. Bulma planned to share her plans with the girls and hers and Vegeta's mother. She had already told her best friend the week earlier, and Goku had been nothing but supportive. Part of her stress came from the fact that she didn't know how to broach the subject with Launch. Vegeta assured her she could tell her stepmother whenever she was ready for it.

"So, I was thinking," Tarble spoke up, stealing Vegeta's attention. "I work for a company that specializes in computers and programming. I work as an engineer there, and we just finished up executing a new computer mainframe. Bulma said that you were looking into a better, more secure server."

Vegeta nodded. "We are. I've found many holes in our system. Holes that need to be filled immediately."

"Our company has been pretty successful over the years, but lately we've been seeing a drop somewhere," Tarble explained. "Possibly the need of the people, and that's why we've been working so hard to develop something new. I don't know what your stance on merging is, especially when what we focus on is completely different from what your company does, but…"

"It's not all that different," Vegeta replied. "We both work for the betterment of technology. If you're asking if I'd be willing to speak to the CEO about a merge, have the man give me a call. Which company is it?"

"Tech-Tech Inc.," Tarble told him. "Have you heard of it?"

Vegeta had, and it was a good company. Like him, the head had started with nothing, but his passion was computers, and so that was how he based his entire company. Computers were definitely a necessity in the technological age, but the man needed to expand his markets, and that could be where Vegeta came in. Besides, he was already in business with his wife's father's company. Why not the company where her brother worked, too? In a sense they were different, and so by merging they would become a conglomerate.

"Yes. Definitely have the man call me. I already have some ideas on how we can both mutually benefit from the merge."

"Thanks, Vegeta, I appreciate it," Tarble stated, and Vegeta realized that Tarble hadn't really been asking from businessman to businessman. He had been asking a favor brother to brother.

* * *

A sigh escaped Bulma as she received another call from the press about her gravity room invention. It was becoming somewhat of a norm for her now, and Vegeta was not happy about it. The company had been emphasizing the privacy of the project, requesting it not be discussed. The press had no idea why, but really Bulma and Vegeta did not want to keep incurring the wrath of Frieza. They wouldn't cow down to the man, but they definitely weren't about to poke the hungry lion with a stick. As usual, Bulma had told the report "no comment" as instructed by her husband and the board. She glanced at her clock too, noting that it wasn't a moment too soon for a meeting with said board.

Gathering her belongings, Bulma practically cantered to the door, and in doing so she nearly careened with her stepmother. "Oh, Launch," Bulma greeted, surprise etching itself on her features. "Is everything okay?"

Launch nodded, but Bulma could tell it was slightly forced. It made her worry, but then Launch's expression shifted to one of determination. "Can we talk?"

Bulma blinked at the woman a couple of times before she looked to her watch. "Actually, Launch, I'm running to a meeting right now. Can you make it quick?"

"No, that's all right," Launch assured her stepdaughter. "It can wait. Good luck at the meeting. I know it's about the reveal of the gravity room and when that will be scheduled."

Bulma smiled at the woman, thankful for the well wishes. "Yup, that's right," Bulma told the woman, "and everything is going smoothly. We're right on schedule. I still can't believe it's coming close to the end."

Launch watched as Bulma raced off, the other woman waving back to her in her excitement. The woman knew that this was a big deal for her stepdaughter. She had gone leaps and bounds higher than any other scientist she had known, and she had accomplished a feat so impressive while dealing with so many crises. Launch looked up to the sky, her heart heavy as she spoke to her long-deceased husband. "I really wish you were here, Trunks," she whispered. "I wish you were here to tell Bulma how proud you'd be of her. I wish she knew."

And with that intention, she hoped that when things settled for Bulma, she would finally be ready for what she had to say.

* * *

Another couple of weeks had passed, and the month of October was upon them all. It had been almost a year since Tarble and Gure had started dating. Tarble remembered inviting Gure to his sister's Halloween party. It almost felt like a lifetime ago. It was also around the time both of their leases were up with their roommates, and the topic came up about their living situation.

Already, Tarble spent more time at Gure's apartment while Gure's roommate spent most of her time at his and Cabba's place. It really made sense for the two couples to find places of their own. The notion made Tarble's heart sore. He had lived with Maron once before, but he never felt the excitement he did while looking for a new place with Gure. His apartment with his ex-fiancé had never felt like home. Tarble was always on edge there, always thinking that it was stress either from work or his own anxieties. Back then, he was in denial, trying to make a failing relationship work out of loyalty. Now, he was actually picturing a life, a good, happy life. Sure, it was just renting an apartment together, but Tarble wanted more. He was certain that Gure did, too.

There was this one apartment complex by the water that they both had their eye one. Like everyone in his family, water seemed to calm him, and there was even a nice patio overlooking the harbor. The place was fairly large, definitely big enough for the couple and some guests should they ever have anyone over. The dining room was large, and Tarble thought it would be best if they invested in a large table much like sister and brother-in-law had. It was time for him to take some of the pressure off of Bulma for all of their holiday gatherings. Gure liked the idea, too.

"So," Tarble spoke up, breaking the silence that existed as the two were looking at the master bedroom. Gure turned to him, her eyes full of curiosity. The man couldn't help but smile. "Do you ever think about our future?"

The question took Gure aback, mainly because of what they were doing. She didn't expect a question that was already answered. A laugh escaped her as she answered, "Obviously, since we're looking for an apartment together.

The grin never left Tarble's face as he dropped yet another question his girlfriend never expected. "What about marriage?"

Gure was a little stunned, but she offered him a warm and loving smile. "I think about it all the time."

She didn't think she had ever seen that sheer look of joy. The moment she told him she loved him for the first time was a close second. This look he was giving her, though, it was like she had made his day without even trying. "Then what are we doing? Let's not just live together," he requested. Then, out of nowhere, he moved to reach for something in his jacket pocket. As he took out a small box, Gure's mouth dropped open. Moments later, he revealed the most gorgeous, princess cut ring anyone had ever seen. Gure looked to him questioningly, not fully grasping the scene she was in right now. His smile softened. "Let's get married, too."

"Tarble," Gure called his name warily, "isn't this too fast?"

Her boyfriend shook his head. "I was with Maron for years before I proposed to her, and we never made it to the aisle," he started. "But…I didn't love her like I thought I did. I know that because I love you, Gure. I _know_ it. We don't need to rush into a wedding, but I…I want us to start planning a future towards that. I'll go as fast or as slow as you want, but that's because I know we have a lifetime to work everything out.

"I love you, and I know you love me. What do you say? Will you mar-umph!"

Tarble didn't even need to ask the question before Gure jumped him. She kissed him so passionately, her hands in his hair. Immediately, he responded, wrapping his arms around his loved one and cradling her head. Gure pulled away for one mere moment to say the word, "Yes," before the lovers resumed their activities. They definitely knew they would both be saying "yes" to one more thing. This apartment they were standing in, it would be their new home starting that day. No place was more perfect to live in than the apartment by the sea where Tarble had proposed.


	60. Chapter 59

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Skip down past the bold if you just want to get to the chapter. Read the AN if you want to understand why I wrote this chapter.

 **A/N written 5.4.2018**

 **Hey, everyone. You won't see this chapter until after the BXV wedding chapter, but I'm actually writing scenes in here before the wedding. As most people know, where the story is not about my life, I've told many of you that there are elements straight from mine or friends' of mine lives. The main thing that is real is I had a very difficult relationship with my father. He snowed an entire town in believing he was the perfect role model and the victim in the series of terrible events that befell me and my family. I loved him very much and tried to be perfect to win his love. He abandoned my mother and threatened her into not finding him until I was about eight years old. My mom was married to a man during that time who convinced her because he was paying child support for his daughter and he believed my father should pay for me. Mom didn't search right away. One day I told her out of the blue that if she ever did find my father one day, I'd want to meet him. She had already started the process because many people told her to do it for me, and when I said that she realized she was doing the right thing.**

 **I met my father eventually. He lied to me from day one, and as an empath, I could feel it. He ignored me for years, said terrible and degrading things to me. He made me feel worthless. I had suicidal thoughts for four years as a result and still suffer from crippling anxiety from time to time. I get sick when I'm upset and I don't eat then, and I have my mom and best friend to thank for coaxing me through all of it. When my best friend and I dated, we were two broken people, trying to help each other get pieced back together. We didn't work out, but he and I continued to support each other through life and still do to this day. He was the one who got me to stop blaming myself, for the most part (I still have moments). Every time I said I was sorry for something small or beyond my control, he'd give me this look and make me correct myself into saying it wasn't my fault. I used to joke that if my father could blame me for WWII that he would and neither of us were even born yet. I have trust issues because of my father's actions. Every time I tried to tell my father how I felt, he'd turn it around on me. The year before he died, he said I was a bad daughter, said I only loved him for his money, and he called me illegitimate confirming my fears that he never wanted me.**

 **I had been done with him then. I always wrote my baby brother, twelve years younger than me, letters. I always prayed that he would never hate me. I feared him hating me. I would continuously think of fifty moments in the future that never happened. What I would say to my father, what he would say to me, would we fight? Would my brother ever believe me if I told him my side? Did they tell him horrible things about me and my mom? Would they make him hate us? Thankfully, the answer to that question is no.**

 **I was not ever going to make an AN like this, telling everything. Sometimes I wait until the end of certain stories. I allowed my story to speak for itself, to speak out to everyone who suffered such emotional abuse from a parent as I did. I didn't want to call it out now. But the reason I'm writing this lengthy AN is "the conversation." Remember that conversation Launch always wanted to have with Bulma? Well, like almost 20 years earlier than Bulma's age in the story…part of the conversation has finally been had, and I was blindsided into it. It started back when my father died. My stepmother told me something about my life that my father witnessed and how angry he was that I was put in a position by another player. I got quiet because that situation NEVER HAPPENED. How do I know this? I remember almost all the bad stuff that's happened to me, and even when I block it out, the second someone tells me the story I remember every detail, where I was standing, how I was sitting, who I was with, what I wrote down in a notebook and why. EVERY DETAIL. Nothing came to me. Instead of responding, I held in my hurt and anger. When she asked if she said something wrong, I asked her how could she sit there and tell me all these stories about how much he loved me and cared about me when the year before he died he called me a bad daughter and called me illegitimate? She said he only ever said anything he did out of his own hurt and anger, and that other players were trying to interfere in our relationship and smear his name. That when I was in a better place and she was that we would have a conversation. But back then, she didn't think we were ready.**

 **Two years later, I went to grief counseling. I had shit therapists in the past, but this was honestly the best thing I ever did. I learned there that all my anxiety stemmed from not having control. The conversation was looming overhead, and I didn't want to have it because no matter what excuses my stepmother could give me, my father still made me feel like I was nothing. My stepmother made accusations to me also and did not treat me like a daughter. I barely interacted with her. I really only bonded with my father and my little brother. My therapist told me that I could tell my stepmother that I would never be ready, that the world wouldn't end if I did. She had mentioned the conversation the fall before, and I just became so sick with anxiety…I needed it to end. So I sent her a long text, that I had been in grief counseling and we figured that part of the cause of my anxiety was the conversation she wanted to have. I told her that I would never be emotionally ready to have it, and that I know my dad loved me and he would just want me to move forward and put it behind me, so that I could be better, emotionally, for her and my brother. She didn't respond to me for days, and I was anxious each and every day. It was around the two year anniversary of his death, too, so it was not helpful. Eventually, we talked, after about a week, maybe, and she apologized for making me feel anxious. She had just been hurt when I said I didn't want to hear it. So she said she would wait until I was ready to have the conversation, that I could initiate it, and I felt so relieved and thankful. I knew she was still desperate to exonerate my father, but I had control for once in my life when it came to them.**

 **Well, unfortunately, I was wrong, and it happened, partly. She blindsided me into having the conversation. Yesterday was my brother's confirmation. I came out to visit for a little bit. I've been having such a good time, and my stepmother really has been trying to make up for everything. Everything was great, save her telling a new rendition to the story she mentioned when she first brought up the conversation. This time she said that I told them this situation happened. I talked to my mom and she warned me that she might be trying to prepare me for the conversation, that she wasn't going to let it go. I desperately hoped that wasn't true. Yesterday, the day of my brother's confirmation, she got me alone when we were shopping for her gift to him. She decided to buy me a gift too because they "couldn't come" to my Confirmation when I was younger. When I pointed out we invited them, she gave me an excuse. A believable excuse, but it led her into forcing me to have part of the conversation. I learned my little brother knows their side of the story (I'm not sure what or how much he knows), which I'm not sure how I feel about that. I'm so incredibly thankful that he loves me as much as he does in spite of it. They never badmouthed me. My brother was just confused and wanted answers, so they gave him theirs. I don't know if he'll ever want to know my side, but I don't care. I really don't want him to know. Honestly, I'm just glad he grew up in a loving environment. I'm glad he had a better relationship with our father than I did. I'm so incredibly thankful that he never has to know because I would rather him stay the amazing young man he is without all the hurt. I'm planning to never tell him, in contrast to how Tarble found out in this story. My brother will never know the pain. That part is easy because being with my brother makes me so happy.**

 **Anyway, the reason I'm writing this chapter before the wedding chapter is I need to flesh out the conversation we did have. There were things I wanted to say that I didn't. Things I did say that made no difference, because my side and even my mom's side don't matter, not if I don't hear his side, in her opinion. I need to get this out now, while the emotions are still real and raw, because if I let it sit, it will not have the proper effect. Because I know something, I learned something in therapy. There are always many versions of the truth. Your version, their version, others' versions, and then the truth. But it's your version, our version, really, that actually affect us. Don't let anyone ever try to rewrite your truth.**

 **Anyway, onward…**

* * *

Bulma couldn't believe the great news she had received. She had woken up to see a text from her brother, and she could not contain her unbridled joy.

 **I'm engaged!**

It had been such a short time after her own wedding, and she and Vegeta had been living in bliss despite the drama outside of their home. The kids school year was well underway and they were settled. All of their friends were doing well and living productively. She and Vegeta were on her way to adopting. And now, her baby brother had gotten engaged to the woman he loved, and most importantly, who loved him back. Bulma hadn't been this jubilant when he and Maron had gotten engaged. No, Gure was truly special, and Bulma already loved her like a sister.

Vegeta had awoken to her chattering happily with her brother on the phone, asking him all the details, and the man smiled, always loving seeing his woman happy. They had gotten ready for their day, Vegeta offering to take the kids to school that day. Bulma was going to meet up with Tarble, Gure, and Launch for breakfast. They needed to celebrate.

She was getting ready when Launch called her, the woman excited. She asked her stepdaughter if she wanted to go with her to pick up an engagement gift for Tarble and Gure. Bulma thought nothing of it in her joy and in the rush, jumping at the chance. It was when they were alone in the store that the unsuspecting Bulma was about to have a fall. She was about to be shattered in a way she never expected.

"Hey look," the woman called out to the woman. "Saint pendants. You know, back when I was confirmed, I chose St. Catherine for my confirmation name."

Launch froze, and she looked to the pendants. Immediately, she went to the sales clerk, and she said she wanted the pendant for St. Catherine. Bulma watched her, surprise in her eyes. She was completely baffled when Launch presented it to her. "Bulma," she started, her voice tight. "We weren't able to be there for you then, but we wanted to be. Your father would want you to have this."

Blue brows furrowed, but Bulma had been used to moments like these. She knew Launch would always try to make up for the times they weren't there, and she had come to terms with that. So gracefully, she accepted it. Then, they went back to finding a gift for the newly engaged couple, and they left the store. It was in the car that Bulma decided to put her pendant on, and that's when the day took an abrupt turn.

"I know you don't want to talk about the past," she stated, and Bulma felt her blood run cold, "but we really did want to be there."

 _Why weren't you?_ Bulma couldn't help but think. "You were invited," she countered. "We invited you to everything."

Launch gripped her steering wheel tight, the car not having been turned on. "I understand that, but we couldn't afford it." Bulma forced herself not to speak. Honestly, it was in the very beginning of her father's career, so maybe it was true. "We needed to make sure your child support was paid. We struggled, just as we know your mom struggled. No matter what was going on, we always made sure that that was the first thing paid every month, because that is what you needed."

"Dad could have told me…"

"No, he couldn't have," Launch clipped. That irritated Bulma, for she hadn't been a naïve child back then. She was understanding, and her mother suffered also. Had Trunks told her, she would have had a better understanding. "He made sacrifices because he loved you. You don't do everything we did, take all the extra shifts we both did, if you love someone."

 _It was never about the money. Besides, they garnished his wages to make sure it was paid._ Bulma gritted her teeth and began fidgeting with the box her necklace came in. "Why did he ignore me?" Launch was silent, and Bulma asked again. "Why was it that every time I called he ignored me? I kept trying to…why?" Her voice was becoming softer at each tone, old wounds being picked at. She should have kept her mouth shut, but she couldn't.

"To tell you that," Launch explained hesitantly, "it would mean having to tell you about the other players involved and what they did. I don't think you're ready for that."

"I never will be," Bulma shot back, her voice cracking slightly. She tried very hard to regain her composure. "Launch, there's…there's something you have to know, about back then…"

 _What am I doing?_

For so many years, Bulma had been keeping a secret from Launch. It was the worst thing she had ever experienced in her life. It was back when she was shrouded in darkness. Trunks had started to ignore her because she went to his family picnic against his wishes. He had said she was manipulative, that she used her emotions to get what she wanted, and if she went to that picnic, he would be done with her and not call her anymore. Then he sent her mother an e-mail attacking her and making demands. It had been such a horrible time, a couple months before her sixteenth birthday. He kept true to his word, and he stopped calling her. She would call him, but he ignored her. Bulma felt worthless. Her mother was stressed, she was in pain, and it was all her fault, or so she believed. But she wanted to go to that picnic, to get to know her family, to not feel like an outsider anymore. She always wanted to know where she came from and the stories of her family. She would soak it up from her mother whenever she got the chance. But her father didn't want anyone to know his daughter. That's what it felt like to her. She was the inconvenience, his biggest mistake, and he was hurting her and her mom because of it. The thought she suffered with that year and for the following four years was this: Everyone would be better off without her.

Her mother had to deal with all of that alone because Bulma was afraid of being sent away, alone, with no one. She didn't want to leave school. She didn't want to be away from her friends. Her mother handled her well and both felt that Bulma didn't need therapy. Bunny would hold her while she cried, stroke her hair, and tell her how much she loved her. She filled her with hope, telling her that there was nothing in life so terrible that she couldn't come back from, that there was no reason to take her own life because everything would work out in its own way, and one day, Bunny always hoped, Trunks would finally be ready to know their daughter. The mother also made sure to keep her daughter busy with a local choir, the two performing in church shows together. Another way to keep her daughter active and distracted was to bring her friends over every weekend for movie night, just to make sure Bulma was surrounded by loved ones, or to take them all to water parks and county fairs. Goku was always there. He didn't know she was suicidal, but he was always there, listening to her pain. When she finally told him as a way to show her she related to the emotions he feared sharing with her, she used it as a bridge, and the two continuously worked on keeping the other one steady. They would have late night phone conversations all the time talking about everything and nothing.

If it weren't for her mother, Goku, and even thoughts of her baby brother, Tarble, Bulma didn't want to think where she would have been or might have done. She never wanted Tarble or Launch to know, how bad it had truly been. She never wanted to taint Tarble, and Launch was so distraught when her father died that Bulma didn't have the heart to shake up her world. She knew it would destroy the woman to learn that her husband and greatest love did this to his daughter. She promised herself that she'd only tell the woman if she ever forced her to have the conversation, which is exactly what she was doing. _How can I convey that to her?_

"I…I was," Bulma tried at first. She only had to utter the word "suicidal," and the conversation would be over. She was sure of it. She clamped the box down, making a loud noise, and opened it back up again. "During that time, I was…" She couldn't finish. _I have to do this._ She tried a third time. "This is really hard to say. I…I…" Nothing. And finally, she was frustrated with herself and with Launch for forcing this out of her. "During that time…and I don't still feel this way now…between the ages of sixteen and twenty...I was..." _Say it already._ "…suicidal."

Launch gripped the wheel tighter again, and stammered out, "O…kay."

"I don't want to go back there," Bulma hurriedly told her, "because no matter what you say, it's not going to change the fact that I felt that way, that I had those thoughts. Mom knew, and she helped me manage them." Bulma remembered all those late night conversations, all the details she couldn't even think about right then and there or she would fall apart. _I can't handle it, any of it,_ she wished she could say. _Please…_

Despite what she hoped, the conversation did not end there, even though Bulma was already an emotional wreck and crying. She hadn't felt like this in so long…she thought she had done a good job of putting it behind her.

"I understand you were hurt," Launch said, her voice uneven, "and I can't even imagine the pain you must have been in and still are. But I need you to know, your father loved you. He did."

"I know," Bulma wailed weakly, hugging herself, still playing with the damn box in her hands. She did know. Her dreams after her father had died had told her so. "I know that. Just…there was so much he said and did, and he ignored me. I don't understand." _Why wasn't I enough?_

So, her stepmother changed tunes, starting the story off with stuff about Bulma's stepfather who was married to Bulma's mother long ago. He had been a kind man at first, but after Bunny had married him, he had revealed that he stopped taking medication. He was a functioning bipolar, and, off his medication, he said and did things that were mean and spiteful. Apparently that included calling her father and threatening him and Launch. Bunny had told her of one time she caught the man on the phone with her father, but actually, she had already been on the phone when her husband picked up and called Trunks a sperm donor and told him not to come near his family. "He threatened my life, he threatened Trunks's life, and he threatened your brother's life. Your father was worried he was going to hurt you and your mother. Your mother got on the phone and played it off. Do you know how terrifying it was for us as parents wondering if you were okay?"

Bulma gripped the box tight. _A discrepancy. Tarble wasn't born until after mom divorced that guy. He didn't even know Tarble existed._ Still, Bulma could believe the other phone call she cited because the man had acted very manic some days. "He called Trunks up one day when your mother wasn't around. I was there for it so I remember. He demanded Trunks give your child support to him, and then he said 'I'm going to take your money. I'm going to make sure she never calls you 'dad.' And if she hates you, then all the better.' And think about it, we didn't know that he was bipolar. Your mother never told us and we had no way of knowing. That's something that she should have told us."

"That wasn't his choice," Bulma tightly responded, her voice getting some of its fight back. Really, her stepfather couldn't decide whether or not she called her father by a title. That was up to her father and her, but they just never got to that point. "And mom and I didn't even know he was bipolar back then."

"I understand," Launch stated, but clearly she didn't. It was time to change gears again.

"Launch, I wanted to call Trunks 'dad.' I did. But every time I got close, every time I had fun with him and thought that maybe he was finally accepting me and moving forward, there was always another e-mail, another ignored phone call, or him saying something to break me. I could never call him 'dad' because I was afraid to." _Not to mention when I was a kid, I waited for him to give me permission to call him dad, and the one time I accidentally did, I apologized and he said it was okay, not that I could call him dad if I wanted. I would have…_

"You were afraid of being rejected," Launch stated, "and I get that. And I'm not telling you this stuff so that you can hate your mom's ex-husband."

"Oh please," Bulma scoffed, crossing her arms. "If I were to hate him, which I don't hate anyone, it would be for when he told me I couldn't call him 'dad' anymore and couldn't call him anymore, and when I tried to reach out, he threatened to file harassment charges and have mom arrested."

"That bastard," Launch hissed. "I'm sorry, but he made you cry, and I don't like that."

Bulma looked over to the woman, her expression stern. "You and mom are a lot alike in that regard." She dared not say that her mother called Trunks a bastard only after he had been hurting her. Before then, she never said anything terrible about her father, ever. "Anyway, I know that guy is an asshole."

"We didn't want him to affect Tarble."

Bulma shot up at that and glared at the woman. She couldn't stay silent about this _fact_ anymore. "He and mom got divorced the year before Tarble was born. He couldn't even go near him." _He didn't know he existed!_

"But you were still close with the guy's daughter," Launch continued. "And you still talked about him all the time. Tarble didn't have the maturity you did, and he didn't understand and was confused and upset and asked questions."

"I never said anything around him," Bulma replied. _At least…I don't think I did…did I? Maybe he was upset that I called Trunks by name. Or talked about my mom when he and I were siblings but had different mothers. Trunks probably had to explain it to a toddler why I didn't call Launch and him mom and dad._

"No you didn't, but others did." Launch looked at the time and realized they were running late, so she started the car and started to drive to the restaurant where they were meeting Tarble and Gure. "Now, I may not agree with your mother when it came to visitation which your dad had to fight for, but I respect her as your mother and I know she loves you just as much as we love you, and that she wants you to be happy. But there were other players. Your grandparents were using you and your mother to get to Tarble. Things were said, and as you are loyal to your mom, Tarble was loyal to his dad and it upset him just as it upset you if we ever said anything bad about your mother."

 _No one, not mom nor my grandparents ever said anything about dad…that's a lie._ Her mom had only seen Tarble twice back then, and he was always so happy to see her. She wonder if Tarble remembered. He never said anything, even when they talked. She wondered if he even remembered. She didn't want to ask him. She never would.

"Your father felt he could never talk to you, tell you his side of things, because there were things your mother did. I can't tell you how many times visitation was 'screwed up' and your father got cheated out of time with you."

 _He chose to. He promised to come back, and then told mom he had other places to be and wouldn't come back. He made her tell me, wouldn't say goodbye…. All of this…it was just an act._

"He had to fight for visitation in court, and it was hard." Of course it had been. The man had abandoned his pregnant girlfriend, had threatened her into silence saying his parents would come to take the child away and if she ever went after him that his grandfather was on the school board where Bunny's father worked. He threatened the man's job and he was supporting his third daughter, and Bunny and Bulma were living there too. But she didn't know that. Launch believed Trunks's story that Bunny was a one-night stand, and she wasn't in the court room when he said, under oath, that he knew Bunny was pregnant, but that she never told him when the baby would be born. The courts saw the man for who he truly was, and the reason Trunks took Bunny to court for visitation was because Bunny didn't feel comfortable leaving her daughter with the man who abandoned them and would watch from afar. Trunks didn't want her there, and that was stated in the court paperwork that Bunny had shredded the year Trunks was killed. "And then because of scheduling, he'd be cheated out of time, and he was furious.

"I remember a time," the woman continued, "when he came home and the first thing he did was go downstairs to the punching bag he had and just hit it for an hour straight before I went to get him. And I knew why he was so upset. When I asked him what happened, he said 'I can't win. Everything I do is wrong. Every time I call I'm wrong. Every time I don't call I'm wrong. I can't even help my own daughter. I can't take it anymore.' And then I reminded him that we were in this all for the long haul."

Bulma forced herself not to react. She was the one who could never win, who was blamed for everything. Any time she called, she was wrong. Any time she left a voicemail or didn't, she was wrong. Any time she tried to tell him how she was feeling, she was wrong, and then if she concealed her feelings, she was wrong. "I just wanted to move forward," Bulma said, feeling broken inside. She was starting to shake and shatter, and was slowly starting to become hysterical. "I just wanted to forgive and move on and start over and put everything in the past where it belonged."

"And by doing that, you were asking your dad to do something so completely against his character," Launch retorted. "He wanted to be heard. But he didn't think he could say anything without you getting upset, because there are things your mother did that we didn't agree with, and you had such a strong loyalty. Your father never had your loyalty."

 _Why couldn't I be loyal to everyone? Why did I need to promise my loyalty to anyone?_

"Dad told me I could never tell anyone what I was feeling," Bulma stated, her anger flaring slightly. "He expected me to sit there and take everything he said and never tell my mom or my friends what I was feeling. I wasn't going to do that, not when I was in so much pain." _I couldn't isolate myself…I couldn't keep it all to myself or I would have been driven mad._

"It's perfectly natural for you to want to show your mother the e-mails," Launch acknowledged, "but because of it your father could never tell if you were loyal to him and to building a relationship with him."

 _I was the only one working on our relationship!_ Bulma's inner voice was screaming. "I kept trying."

"I'm sorry you felt like you kept trying," Launch said. "Your father was never there in the way you needed him. It's normal for a child to want both their mother and their father, and I know it was hard that they never got along."

"It wasn't that," Bulma challenged. Honestly, they got along in front of her because her mother wasn't malicious. One time Bulma could actually see why her mom would have gone for him before he started trashing the woman later and stopped communicating with Bunny and forced Bulma to grow up too quickly. "Launch, I caught him in a lie, and it has nothing to do with the past. It was a legitimate lie. He said directly to me in an e-mail that I stopped calling him when I turned twenty-one. That was a lie. I know, because I did call…every. month. I just stopped leaving voicemails during that time because after all the years of being ignored, I would have mini panic attacks and get tight-chested, waiting to see if he'd pick up or it would go to voicemail, and after a while, I just couldn't speak anymore, because I was afraid that my pain would shine through and he'd use that against me."

"All the adults involved, including your father and I, made mistakes with you," Launch solemnly said. "Maybe had we _all_ made different decisions, you wouldn't be in so much pain. I'm sorry that you are. I'm only telling you this now because I was waiting for you to gain the maturity and the grace to listen to what I had to say. I've been ready to tell you for a long time." _Maturity and grace? I have those,_ Bulma reminded herself. She had to to be willing to give her father chance after chance even when everyone else told her to give up. "I know we missed out on your teenaged years…"

Bulma just couldn't listen to this anymore, and a choked sob escaped her. All the pain had flooded back into her system, pain that she had buried and gotten over for the most part. She was handling it from day to day, and she had been in such a good place, but Launch just couldn't drop it. She couldn't leave well enough alone. "You don't want to know about my teenaged years!" Bulma shouted, finally finding her voice as she hysterically cried, shaking as her body was wracked with her sobs.

"You're right," Launch sadly agreed, "I don't. I can't even imagine how much pain you were in."

"I tried!" Bulma wailed, hugging herself. "I tried so desperately to make things work, and he never tried! I did everything I could! I tried to be perfect, to…to make him…I hoped that! Oh my God…" Bulma was starting to feel sick and cried harder, screaming in agony as memories choked her. Where had all of this been hiding, and why had Launch forced her to drag it up? She thought she'd understand and keep her promise, but she was wrong. Launch would not rest until everyone saw Trunks as a good man. Trunks had not been a good man to her.

The woman parked the car, reaching the restaurant, and she looked to her stepdaughter with concern-filled eyes. "He never wanted you to be perfect," Launch told her. "He just wanted you to be you."

 _No. He hadn't wanted that._ In fact, he had been the one to say he didn't like her emotions and he didn't have to deal with them. Even when Bulma pointed out that of course he did, that he was her father, he said "no, I really don't" as a response. He had also sent e-mails declaring that she had poor work ethic and that if he was a traditional father that she'd have a better work ethic, better spending choices, and be in better physical shape. Her father never wanted her to be her. He wanted her to be the version he wanted of her, and she could never be that person.

"You're a parent," Launch pointed out, "so I know you can understand, or I hope you will if you haven't. Bulma, I want you to remember this pain you're in. Your father wasn't there how you needed him. You were given the chance to be a different kind of parent, to be better to your child than he was to you. But I want you to remember this, Bulma, because if your son ever hurt you, as all kids will sometimes unknowingly do, the way your father was hurt by some of your actions, don't cause him the same kind of hurt. When you posted one of your father's letters on social media, it really affected him."

Bulma had only done that as a form of retaliation, sick of being targeted and hurt all the time. And how _DARE_ she? Bulma would have never hurt Trunks the way her father hurt her. He was her baby. Yes, they fought sometimes. What parents and children didn't? But at the end of the day, she was there for him, hugged him, never went to bed angry, and always talked about whatever caused the stupid arguments. They apologized to one another and then moved on because that's what a _real_ parent needed to do.

"If anything I just need to know you're loved," she stated when Bulma started to calm down.

"I _know_ ," Bulma emphasized. "I know that, and I never denied that he loved me. I thought he didn't back in college, and I had the worst therapist at the time asking me when he made me face reality and I cried where do the tears come from."

"Idiot," Launch muttered under her breath.

"Right," Bulma agreed. "Anyway, I never told you this, but I had a dreams of dad after he died where we were in rooms of your house and just talking, but I couldn't hear anything being said. All I felt was love. I know that was dad reaching out to me and letting me know he loved me because, when I accepted that, I didn't have another dream like that." It was one of the only things that had gotten her to believe that that was the truth.

"Of course he loved you," Launch replied. "You're his daughter. And you've become a very thoughtful individual, and he would be so proud of the woman you are today as I am."

"I have to say," Bulma said, now that she was coming down from the emotional high, "I will admit you guys did a good job with Tarble. He's become a good, smart, and thoughtful individual, and I am lucky that I'm his big sister."

"Well, you deserve to have the best little brother."

At that point, Tarble had shown up outside the car, calling out, "Hey guys," excitedly. Then Bulma and his mother turned to the window, both with streams of tears down their faces.

"We'll be right out," Launch stated, and she waved Tarble off. Tarble stayed for a moment, afraid of what was happening between the two. Still, he backed off, and Bulma turned to Launch again. "We'll talk more about this another day. For now, let's just share in this moment with Tarble."

"Agreed," Bulma said before she unbuckled herself to storm out of the car. She wanted to quickly put distance between herself and Launch and race into the restaurant. Her mind kept repeated "oh my God" over and over again, still unable to collect all of her things fast enough. Bulma had truly believed Launch would drop it, but no…she had to blindside her on this day of all days. Then, Launch had to blindside Bulma again, taking a tissue to softly dry away her tears as if she was a child. _No._ Bulma wouldn't let her pretend that she was still a kid, the one they should have been there to help pick up the pieces of her with her mother and friend. Bulma snatched the tissue out of her hands, wiping away her own tears. She was an adult for crying out loud. No, she needed to get away now.

She still couldn't believe that it had happened. It was almost exactly how Bulma had imagined it would be. It was excuse after excuse, and there were apologies that didn't change _anything_ Bulma suffered. There were apologies and admittance that they did wrong, but Launch still couldn't drop it. Bulma never wanted to go back to that place, to go back to the time where she felt completely beyond helpless. And there was _more!_ They were at the restaurant now, and Bulma was still having her breakdown when Tarble came out to the car, grinning and knocking. When Bulma and his mother turned to him, his cheerful expression dropped. Concern was all over his face. Bulma came out of the car, still crying and trying to wipe away her tears. Tarble looked back to the guilt-ridden face of his mother, and then raced into the restaurant after Bulma.

Bulma hadn't made it in that far before she had collapsed down to the ground. Tarble rushed over to his sister, his fiancé sitting by the woman's side as she helped her up. "Bulma, are you _okay?"_ Tarble asked, completely horrified at the emotional state of his sister. He hadn't seen her this distraught since the night Trunks had gone missing and everything came crashing down. "What happened?"

 _Your mother happened,_ Bulma said to herself, but she didn't want to insult the woman to Tarble. "She decided to have a conversation with me about dad."

Tarble's eyes widened. "H-How…how was it?" he asked, mainly to get Bulma to talk about it. She looked a mess. Only, she finished drying her tears and finally stood back up.

"It was intense," she admitted, "but I'm okay." That part was a lie, but her voice sounded completely genuine. "I'm okay." She wasn't, but she had to be, just for this breakfast. Just for her brother, always for her brother. And then she was going to escape to home right after. This, this day was for him and Gure, and she wasn't going to ruin it. Instead, she smiled through her pain, just asking the newly engaged couple for a big hug. She squeezed her brother tightly, as if he was her life raft, and Tarble just let it happen knowing his big sister needed this. When she pulled away, she beamed brightly, but her eyes were sad and full of anxiety. "Now, let's go celebrate your engagement."

Of course, she had to go back to pretending everything was okay, even when she had been torn open and all of those old wounds were exposed once more.

* * *

Vegeta left work shortly after a meeting and returned home in the middle of the afternoon. He loosened his tie and headed upstairs to his and Bulma's room. On the way up, he could hear the shower running. The kids were at school, Vegeta knew, so the only other person it could be was his wife. The businessman smirked, taking off his suit jacket, tie, and shirt, the idea of surprising his wife during her relaxation time to tantalizing to resist.

Quietly, Vegeta entered the bathroom, surprised that Bulma didn't react to the sound of the door creaking. He figured she must have really been indulging herself in the hot, steaming water. Hot showers were something they both enjoyed.

In any case, Vegeta slipped himself into the shower, and only then did Bulma realize she wasn't alone. An impish grin appeared on his face, but then Bulma whipped around to face him. His expression dropped immediately, his expression becoming almost neutral save the surprise in his eyes. There, under the water, his wife stood…crying. His playful ideas were completely shot in an instant.

This scene was completely reminiscent of the first time they had scheduled a date to have dinner. It was when Bulma was still working for the crackpot, who as they predicted did drive his father's appliance company under months earlier. Bulma had been really upset that day. Vegeta remembered Trunks warning him. The woman had been so distraught when he found her, him having been stood up by her. He remembered hoping that she wasn't the type to run late all of the time, but he had no idea the type of emotional struggles she had going on. By that point, he only knew she had had a shaky relationship with her unknown father. It was the first night she had confided more to him many hours after he had called her out of the shower.

He had only seen her this torn up when he had questioned her on the DNA test she had run on him. She had been terrified by his reaction, afraid their relationship was over. That night, she had nearly gotten herself killed because of her uncontrollable emotions, and he had had to coax her inside their apartment and get her into dry clothes before she finally told him what was in the envelope.

Vegeta didn't expect to find her like this, so vulnerable and shaky. Her hand was looped in a strand of her hair and her other arm was pressed close to her chest as if she was trying to cover herself. She sniffled a few times as her watery blue pools continued to leak tears down her face. It broke his heart to see her like this, and all Vegeta could think to do was pull his wife close to him, holding her as he let her cry on his shoulder. He kissed her forehead and gripped her tightly.

* * *

After their shower, Vegeta and Bulma dressed in some comfortable clothes and cuddled on the couch. His wife still hadn't said much about her day, but she had told him she hadn't eaten much all day and her stomach was upset. That was _all_ he had initially gotten out of her. Concerned about her wellbeing, he decided to first get some sort of food into her. He made them some cinnamon oatmeal and tea, and he the coaxed Bulma to the table. She offered him a thankful yet sad and tired smile. Whatever had happened with his woman that day had really done a number on her.

As she slowly ate, her eyes fixated on a spot on the table, Vegeta finally spoke up. "Are you going to tell me what this is about?" he asked softly yet firmly.

Bulma's eyes shifted to his, and she sat up and stopped eating, setting her spoon down. Vegeta mentally cursed himself for not waiting so that maybe she would have eaten more. "You're not going to like this?"

He didn't react. He remember the last time he reacted to something he didn't like, and Bulma was already really upset. Whatever she did, Vegeta didn't care, not if she was overwhelming herself this much. "If it's anything like the DNA test, then we'll get through it."

Bulma's eyes widened in surprise before she nearly exclaimed, "Oh, no, honey, no." She reached across the table to take his hand. "It has nothing to do with us. I promise."

"Then what won't I like?"

The blue-haired beauty bit her lip and closed her eyes before she slowly inhaled and exhaled. When she opened her eyes, Vegeta could see her sadness. He could feel it, too, in waves. "Launch blindsided me into having the conversation today before we met up with Tarble and Gure to celebrate their engagement."

Well, Bulma was right. Vegeta _didn't_ like this one bit. In fact, he was pissed, but he had to taper his reaction and remain as calm as possible. He knew Bulma needed him to be the levelheaded one right now. "What did she say?"

"I can't even process it all right now to tell you, but I promise I will later tonight," she replied, exhaustion toning the edge of her voice. "What's worse is we aren't done. She implied there's _more._ "

Vegeta looked practically offended. "What more can she possibly say to defend that man?"

Bulma shrugged. "I don't know. She went for my former stepfather who was out of my life when I was like eleven, before Tarble existed. She also kept saying my mom did something and affected my father's visitation which I know isn't true. She touched on my grandparents too and then somewhere along the line insulted me by warning me not to treat Trunks like my father treated me if he ever hurts me like all children do to their parents."

"That's a load of fucked up bullshit," Vegeta hissed before he could rein in his anger. He took a deep breath and then calmly added, "You know that was all it was, right? What she said…that's just…"

"As two adults who were hurt by their parents as children, I think we both know it's a load of bull," Bulma sighed. "Honestly, though, I can't talk about it right now. I'm already starting to feel my stomach get worked up again."

Vegeta squeezed her hand and nodded. "Alright," he spoke. "We'll finish this later, but for now just rest. Maybe you should go lie down."

As soon as Vegeta made his suggestion, the front door opened, and the parents could hear their son and his girlfriend chattering away. They immediately headed to the kitchen and saw Bulma and Vegeta sitting in the dining room. It was tough not to notice that Bulma looked incredibly upset. "Mom!" Trunks called out in alarm, instantly going to her side. "Are you okay? Is something wrong? Do you need something?"

Bulma couldn't help but smile and choke a sob over her son's reaction. Just when she and Vegeta were discussing how wrong her stepmother was on that one interpretation, Trunks proved the point by making sure his mother wasn't hurt. "I just need a hug from you both," she said, wrapping her arms around her son. Mai joined them, giving Bulma a hug from behind the seat. Trunks's grip tightened on her, and Bulma could tell he was really worried and probably angry over whatever was making her cry. She wasn't going to tell them. She didn't want there to be another reason for Trunks to be wary of his other grandmother.

Her eyes, once again, met Vegeta's, and she saw the same concern in his eyes that she sensed pouring off of Trunks. She knew she was going to have to tell him everything later, but right now she just needed to spend an evening with him and the kids. That's what she needed. Hopefully, it would be enough to drown out Launch's words until the next time she pulled an incident to finish what she started.


	61. Chapter 60

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

 **5.8.2018-5.10.2018 AN**

 **Okay guys, I'm impressed with myself. I managed to get a five hour conversation (or at least the majority with highlights of it) into one chapter…yes…part two of the conversation days later had taken that long… And I couldn't even remember all of it through working on writing this the past couple days. I didn't even capture all of it in this chapter. Just many of the take home points.**

* * *

Since the day Launch had blindsided Bulma, the woman had been out of sorts. Sure, it had only been a day or so, but Bulma was physically sick. Her stomach was in knots, and she found herself running to the bathroom more times than not, anything she ate or drank going right through her. She didn't sleep well the night it happened or the night after, keeping Vegeta up too. He didn't mind that as much as she seemed to. He tried to give her a couple days off, but Bulma didn't want to be left alone to her own thoughts. There was only one more day in the work week anyway. She could pull herself together for just a day.

Bulma was called by Launch days later after Gure called them to meet her at her apartment. She had not wanted to go with her stepmother. Vegeta had offered to drive her. Trunks actually pleaded with his mother to let him go too. He didn't know the details, but he knew that his step grandmother had forced his mother to talk about things she didn't want to discuss. He had tried to eavesdrop on his mother and father the past couple of nights, but, every time, they talked quietly as if they knew he was hiding outside their door. Bulma had eventually heaved a heavy sigh and said she just wanted to pretend the conversation never happened. Besides, she didn't think Launch would be foolish enough to bring it up again so soon.

Launch came to pick up Bulma, and when they were driving, somehow Launch brought the conversation up again. Bulma just looked to the woman, her mind completely reeling. _Again? Really? Is she really doing this to me again?_

In contrast to the previous talk, Launch finally said, "I understand it won't change anything, but I'm the one who knows these things. I wasn't telling you any of it to hurt you or tell you what you felt didn't matter. I just need you to understand that I am the only one who knows these things about your father. You need to respect that I am the keeper of his secrets."

"I do," Bulma said forcefully. "I really do. And I know he loved me. I don't deny that. But before we continue this, I just have to say something. I don't want to hurt you, but I _can't_ keep going back to that time. It was dark and scary and horrible, and going back there makes me relive it, and it won't help me. But if you insist on this, I want my mom present before we go through this because if you want me to listen to his side, then you need to listen to both my side and my mom's side, because you haven't heard those in their entirety."

Launch tried to contain her anger, but Bulma could feel it. "I respect your mother," the woman reiterated, "as your mother, and I understand why you'd want her to be there, but she and your dad didn't have the best relationship and I don't feel comfortable discussing him with her."

Bulma felt her heart race. She really couldn't do this again alone. Maybe she should have let Trunks come with her, but she wouldn't have put that on her son. She should have driven herself, but she didn't sleep well that past couple of nights. She would have asked Vegeta, but he was working and she didn't want to keep him from some last minute meetings. After this, though, she knew she was going to have to take some mental health days. As for Vegeta, she couldn't ask anymore of him right now. This was something she had to face head-on.

So, finally, she took an active approach.

She didn't know what she said to start it off, but soon enough, Bulma was asking questions about why her father did what he did. She even dared to tell her stepmother parts of what she knew of the past. But to start…

"Why did he ignore me?" Launch didn't answer right away, just staring at her stepdaughter. "Why…I know he was mad at me for going to that family picnic, but…he said I was manipulative, that I used my emotions to get what I want, that if I go he'd be done with me and wouldn't talk to me anymore."

"There's something you need to understand," Launch stated. "Your father had to fight for visitation, and he took his visitations with you seriously, even his phone visitation. There were times when he was starting out that he would pass on jobs and disobey certain project managers who wanted him to give up that specific night, and he would tell them that they could pass on him then because nothing would stop him from talking to you."

"He could have told me all of that," Bulma replied.

"You were always very sensitive, and you would have felt guilty."

Instantly, Bulma shot back defensively, "No I wouldn't have."

"Bulma," Launch responded, disbelief in her voice.

The blue-haired woman deflated, her shoulders sagging. "Okay, I would have. I even felt guilty for how much mom worked, but still, as I got older, once I was an adult, he could have said something. But he didn't. He never even answered my calls. I know I made him mad, but why?"

"He valued his time with you," Launch reiterated, "and so, when he sensed you pushing him as a rebellious teenager, he pushed back, presenting you with a choice. Your father had wanted to be the one to take you. He wanted to be the one to introduce you to his family, to proudly say 'this is my daughter.' But you took that away from him. And, by going, he assumed you didn't value your visitation the same way he did, and it hurt him deeply."

Bulma looked at the woman like she was crazy. "I was fifteen," Bulma pointed out, "and he didn't tell me that. Had he explained that, I would have waited. But when he said I couldn't go, I was so upset. I couldn't understand why. Mom calmed me down and told him to ask his and find out. When I did, he said you guys wouldn't be moved into your new home yet, so I figured that meant it was okay to ask my grandparents. He didn't say I _couldn't_ go…not until the ultimatum. And when he said that, it hurt me so deeply. And the picnic was months later. That following Tuesday, I prayed he'd call me, but he didn't. And I cried, and mom had to deal with that fallout. Then, the following Tuesday, I prayed he'd call me then, but he didn't. More Tuesdays came and went, and still he wouldn't call me. Then, my sixteenth birthday came, and he sent me flowers, and I thought that was him trying to reach out to me, so I called. I made sure to tell him that he was still invited to my birthday party. I kept trying to reach out and I was ignored, and I felt worthless.

"Around then is when the suicidal thoughts came. I felt like I didn't matter, like everyone was better off without me. But something stopped me. Mom, Goku, and Tarble are the only reasons I'm alive today. I couldn't help but think what it would do to mom, who loved me so much…what it would do to Goku who had just gotten out of the hospital after his first breakdown…what it would do to Tarble, my innocent little brother, twelve years my junior…he would have never understood or known what was happening. I had _plans_ on _how_ to take my life, but I never did, out of fear and because of those three people. Goku didn't even know I was suicidal until I was in college and he confided his own thoughts to me, and so I told him to show him he wasn't alone, and we commiserated over that, and when we were in a bad place, we'd call each other, staying up until three AM talking about everything and nothing all at the same time."

"I'm really glad you had that," Launch said in a relieved breath.

"Goku's been there for me," Bulma stated. "There were times I would be on the phone with dad, when Goku and I were dating and when we weren't, and I'd be so anxious, afraid. The conversations would be fine but I was terrified, and Goku would sit next to me and hold my hand, and then I'd expel a sigh of relief when I hung up. And, no offense, but I used to joke that dad would have found a way to blame me for World War II if he could and neither of us were born yet, because he always blamed me and turned my emotions around on me. You said he felt like he couldn't win and he was always wrong, but I felt wrong. I felt like my existence was wrong, that I couldn't win. That my father didn't love me because there was something wrong with me. And Goku was so great. Every time I'd apologize for something beyond my control or something small, he'd give me this look and I'd be like 'I take it back.'"

"Your father wouldn't have wanted you to feel that way. He loved you."

"I know," Bulma replied. "I keep telling you, I do know that. But Launch, he wasn't there. And I don't mean for the parties or events you couldn't afford to come to…" Only they had been local for four years and still never came to anything, but Bulma wouldn't bring that up. "He neglected me. I told you, I called him once a month, sometimes twice a month, and he wouldn't answer. He'd only call back when it fit his needs. But every time he didn't answer, I would wonder what was wrong with me. There was even a time where I would say the only good quality about myself was my hair. Mom had a field day with that one…"

"I'm sorry you went through that, but you have to understand, your father was hurting too," Launch once again defended. "The tragic part of all of this is that you lost him so early. Had you two had more time, you would have been able to talk about this one day."

"I _tried_ to talk to him about it," Bulma pointed out. "Every time I tried, he'd twist my words into something I didn't say and turn my emotions around on me. One time I asked him to talk and it didn't go well, and when we talked later, he told me I should have known he was drunk. I was seventeen. I didn't know what being drunk looked like, and then he told me he didn't like my emotions because I cried to much and that he didn't have to deal with them and when I told him he was my father and he did, he said 'no, I really don't.' He then said we were better off without each other."

"I was on the other side of that conversation," Launch told her, "and your father was really upset he said all of that to you."

"That wasn't the only time he degraded me," Bulma continued. "That time when he said I had a poor work ethic, when I had thirteen thousand dollars of out-of-state tuition almost completely paid for by scholarships and loans, I was only missing sixteen hundred, and I didn't even ask him for the money. I asked him to cosign a loan so that I wouldn't be kicked out of college before I started, but he just said if he were a traditional father I'd have a better work ethic…when I busted my ass off in everything I did. I worked so hard…" Launch just stared at Bulma, unable to speak. The woman had completely caught her off-guard with that one. "He said I only ever loved him for his money and health insurance, and I had appreciated all he had done for me, but I didn't give two shits about that stuff. I just wanted him, and I told him that, to forget about all of that and to just start over."

"But when you told him you wanted to start over and let it go, he took it as you wanted to let him go."

"I wanted it all to stop!" Bulma said in exasperation. "I wanted the pain to stop. I wanted to let go of the pain and the suicidal thoughts. I was scared, so scared, and I just wanted to move forward."

"But we hadn't known that," Launch stated. "You didn't trust your dad enough to tell him what you were going through."

"Because," Bulma huffed, "I had tried to tell him how I was feeling for so long and when I did he turned it around on me and told me it was my fault for feeling that way. I was afraid that had I told him about the suicidal thoughts that he would do what the mother of one of my high school friends did and told me to kill myself. My friend actually did kill herself."

"That's terrible," Launch gasped. "Bulma, your father would have never done that to you. He loved you."

"I had no way to know that he wouldn't," Bulma retorted. "All I had at the end of the day were the hateful words of his e-mails. 'It's okay that you think I'm a bad father because I think you're a bad daughter.' Using the word illegitimate… How was I to know?"

"You two were never able to build that trust."

"He lied to me," Bulma reminded the woman. "Many times. Launch…I know you aren't going to believe me, and I don't want to hurt you…but there are some things you need to know. One…I saw the court paperwork." Bulma hadn't, but she knew what she was about to cite was in there. This part, her mom had told her, but it was still documented in the court records. "I used to eavesdrop on mom's conversations and investigate things myself because I needed to know. I wanted to know." That part was also true. "Trunks knew mom was pregnant. He didn't know when I was born, but he knew she was pregnant, and I know he said that in court when you and my stepfather were asked to leave the courtroom. But Trunks was _there._ He was in town with my mother. My grandparents saw him and my aunt saw him."

"Who told you that?" Launch challenged, her voice getting defensive.

"Everybody," Bulma told her.

"This was all stuff they told you that you heard repeatedly."

"Launch, this wasn't some story _all_ my relatives agreed upon," Bulma pushed. "He was there, in my hometown, for months. He stayed at the monastery, and then he left because he wasn't ready."

"I never denied that he knew she was pregnant," Launch stated, "which is why we had talked about any past or future children in our lives. We told his parents that they weren't to get in the way of our relationship with any past or future children."

"There's more," Bulma said. "And I know what you must be thinking…"

"You don't know what I'm thinking," Launch clipped.

"I really don't want to hurt you, but there's something else you should know while we're on this subject," Bulma said cautiously. It seemed like what she said had already upset her stepmother. The court psyche evaluations had implied that she was a woman who hadn't known pretending that she had been told. And really, Bulma doubted she was told or she would have convinced Trunks to come and look for her. It's not like Hamasaki was a very common last name. "Just…when you told me the story of how you and dad got together, it was almost identical to the story my mother told me of how they got together when I asked her years earlier." Launch was pissed. Bulma felt the temperature drop. "I'm sorry…"

"We'll have to agree to disagree on that point," Launch once again clipped. "I won't tell you that what you read wasn't what you read. That is your reality, and there was never a question on whether he knew."

 _Then why did he try to convince me he hadn't?_ Bulma asked herself, revisiting thoughts of part one of the conversation days earlier. "In any case, that's why we told his parents not to interfere. We told them we wanted them to have a relationship with you. They lived closer to you, and we lived far away, but all the therapists we talked to told us we needed to set the boundaries and establish a relationship with you first. His parents overstepped their bounds."

"They only took me to the picnic and came to see me because I wanted it," Bulma replied.

"Yes, but it wasn't their place," Launch declared. "We told them that it was okay to see you, but that if they wanted to see you, they needed to contact us first to make sure it was okay. They didn't do that, and that showed that they didn't take loyalty seriously."

 _I wanted them there, and mom's allowing them to see me was all they needed._ Back then, her grandparents had contact her mother saying they wanted to meet Bulma, but that they knew it was a complicated situation. They had wanted to meet with Bunny and her husband so that Bunny would get to know them and maybe feel comfortable enough to let them meet their granddaughter, and they had asked her father for permission to meet Bulma the first time also. But once they did, the one who allowed visitation was her mother. How they had approached her spoke volumes to the kind of people they were, and Bunny instantly knew that all the stories Trunks had told her about his overly controlling parents were lies. Lies Launch fell for hook, line, and sinker. She even lied to Bulma, telling her Tarble had this horrible memory about his grandmother taking him into a room to let him speak to Bunny and Bulma on the phone, which had never happened, and how Trunks had demanded to get his son back and his mother wouldn't listen, so he had to threaten to break down the door. Launch claimed Tarble had been angry about that for a long time because he remembered not being able to get to his parents. Bulma knew that it never happened, because she remembered every time she spoke to her brother. She never spoke to him on the phone at all. Besides, any time they actually came for family functions, Bulma was present, and her mother had only interacted with her brother twice, never on the phone.

As for his parents having visitation and how Launch was currently explaining how he had to fight for visitation…he had abandoned her and Bunny before she was born, threatening her mother and controlling her by fear. The only reason he had to fight for visitation as her stepmother was stating was because he didn't want her mother watching them, so he sued her for visitation. He was granted visitation, but it was court appointed and would have required him to be watched by a court appointed official. Bunny had been asked if she'd allow any relatives of his to stand in for the court appointed official instead, and Bunny had trusted her grandparents. It was thanks to them that her father could take her on walks alone. That really wasn't supposed to happen.

"It hurt him so much," Launch lamented. "He would always be so upset and say 'I just want to see my daughter.' There was always something standing in the way."

 _Because he left us._

At least Launch finished her complaining about her grandparents with the compliment that they had an ideal marriage, and that they were good influences for her and Tarble. Of course, she still said, when Bulma asked her, that she would never sit down to talk with them about this stuff because she already had and they had just kept betraying the trust. Man, if Bulma heard the words "trust" and "loyalty" one more time in the conversation she was going to have to hold back from comparing it to politician rhetoric.

"I'm trusting you with this information because you're an adult," Launch stated. "Your father was very vulnerable and broken, and I don't want his family to know that. I'm also trusting you not to mention that story with Tarble to them. I understand you'll want to talk to your mom about some of this stuff, but I'm trusting you to use the information at your discretion and not breach the trust we're establishing. It's about loyalty."

Bulma had thought too soon…

More questions had been asked about every e-mail, but mainly Bulma explained away some of the things that her father may have believed indicated that she didn't trust him. When he juggled and she said she didn't like clowns, she was nine, and actually afraid of clowns for a time. Launch said he saved all his money to get her an American Girl doll, when she had already been given one by her grandparents before her fear of dolls kicked in. Bulma knew everything they gave her, and a doll wasn't on the list. Bulma would have never thrown it across the room and acted so ungrateful like Launch was implying even with her fear. It was another story that didn't happen.

There was a time, however, where Bulma had seen on the news when she was really young where a kid had been kidnapped by a relative and she had freaked out and asked her mom, "What if they take me? What if I never see you again?" And her mother had assured her that wouldn't happen. That hadn't been enough for Bulma, and so her mother calmed her down by saying that there would be nowhere on the planet where she wouldn't be able to find them. Bulma had been a stupid kid and announced that to her father one time. That had apparently hurt him too.

"He always took things the wrong way," Bulma accused. "Like…even the Darth Vader ornament…" The year her father had passed, Launch had told her that he had always felt bad about how she had given him that ornament, that he would put it on the tree and then go off to reflect for hours on how Bulma had seen him as a terrible father. "I never meant anything by it. It just reminded me of my favorite memory. The first Christmas I spent with him at his family's house, we got into a lightsaber fight with those empty wrapping paper rolls, and we recreated the 'I am your father' scene, and it was the most fun I ever had. The next year, when I was trying to pick something out for him for Christmas, I saw it and it reminded me of him. I hadn't even remembered I bought that for him until you mentioned it. I never saw him as a bad father."

"You one time called him a pathetic father."

"No I didn't."

"I was there for that conversation," Launch stated. "You were angry so you probably don't even remember. You were a very angry teenager."

Bulma had to keep her rage from surfacing because that wasn't true. If anyone who knew her then asked, she was _not_ and angry teenager. Angry towards her father at times when he said hurtful things to her, yes, but angry at him all the time…then she'd have _no_ good memories of him which wasn't the case. As for her other remarks, about her calling him a "pathetic father..."

 _It didn't happen…did it?_ No, Bulma remembered every conversation and every hurtful word he uttered to her and what she would have said to instigate that. She hated that this woman was lying and trying to twist her own memories using the fact that she was young to make her doubt herself when Bulma knew full well that she still had vividly detailed memories of her childhood. She was never on speaker phone. He usually called from work or on his way home. Trunks had probably taken something she said out of context and told Launch that that was what she said.

"You have to understand how hurt he was," Launch stated. "You didn't do it on purpose, but every remark you made that challenged his role as your father cut him deeply. He couldn't be the kind of father he wanted to be." _Then why didn't he change tactics and just be there?_ "He always wanted to tell you his story, but he never felt he could because he didn't have your trust."

Bulma refrained from saying, "Well, whose fault was that?" Instead, she said, "I wanted to trust him. I tried so much to believe that we would work things out, and I always feared that would never happen. I had a terrible nightmare, back in college, where dad was on his deathbed, after a long illness. I was sitting at his bedside just begging him for this all to stop, telling him to just let it go and we could work it out, and he died before he could say anything. I woke up screaming and crying, calling mom to tell her about the dream, and she kept saying that I couldn't worry about that, that it wouldn't be my fault if that happened, and that one day she believed…" _Or hoped…_ "…that we would work things out."

"That's why it's all just so tragic," Launch murmured solemnly. "You two just lost out on so much time. If the accident hadn't happened, the two of you would have been able to sit down and talk. I know you were hurt and scared, but he was so hurt that you wouldn't give him more. You wouldn't trust him." Bulma gave her this look of utter disbelief. "You didn't respect his role as your parent."

"I wanted to," Bulma kept pointing out, reiterating her story from the previous day. "There were times where I wanted to call him 'dad.' I would come out to visit you guys and have so much fun and a good time, and things would be great, and I'd think 'finally, he's acting like my dad.' Then, I would come home and everything would go back to the same, him ignoring me and saying horrible things to me, and I just couldn't do it."

"You were afraid of rejection," Launch analyzed, restating what she had the day before, "and that was understandable."

"Yeah," Bulma admitted, finally confirming it, her head dropping and her gaze falling to her lap. "You're right. I was."

"Your father wasn't there for you, and I really do understand your hurt and fear," Launch told her. "I even understand why your mom was so protective of you, but all of this led to your father not being able to establish a relationship with you."

"His words were what made it impossible, Launch," Bulma pointed out. "He called me a bad daughter and he called me illegitimate. That destroyed me so much. I had gone to a therapist, who was terrible, by the way, but he kept grating at me until I shouted at him that my father didn't love me. I feared he didn't, and the way he was acting…it felt like he never wanted me." Bulma wasn't going to point out to the woman the truth of that statement. She'd never believe it.

"He never meant any of it," Launch tried to explain. "He was hurt and angry, and I was the one who had to see the fallout from your conversations. He always felt so terrible that he said those things to you. And there were two parts to that illegitimate comment." Bulma felt like someone had kicked her in the gut. Decades earlier, Bulma had brought up that word in response to a story Launch had told her. Launch hadn't known what that e-mail had said. Had she gone back to read it? No…wait, it had been a text message, Bulma remembered. There was no way that Launch knew the whole line, that part of it involved Launch. "The context was that it didn't matter how you came into this world. We were going to love you anyway."

 _Bullshit!_ That was the furthest thing from the truth, but Bulma bit her tongue. The whole line was in response to something Bulma had said to hear father about Launch. Her statement had been that Launch never treated her like a daughter, that she had accused her of identity theft once and called her a cyber bully when she posted _one_ of her father's many e-mails for others to see. Her father had retaliated by saying Bulma should never be mad or criticize Launch because the woman never asked for an illegitimate daughter. Bulma knew what illegitimate meant, and though that word meant nothing in present society, she knew she wasn't Launch's illegitimate daughter. She was Trunks's. When she read that line, she took it to mean that Trunks was denying her as his daughter. That was the day she had given up, only reaching out the following Christmas.

"With everything he said, if he never wanted me to feel hurt or worthless, if he wanted to work things out," Bulma started, "and if he never meant what he said…at the end of the day…why didn't he contact me later that day telling me 'I didn't mean it, I'm sorry, and I love you?'"

"I wish he would have."

But he hadn't, and that had been the root of the problem. Her father had never been there for her. It didn't matter that he perceived Bulma words and actions to mean she thought he was a terrible father. Had those actions never happened, had he been honest with her, had he _not_ ignored her or called her terrible things, then she wouldn't have felt as worthless as she did and she wouldn't have wanted to hurt herself to make the pain go away. "I don't want Tarble to know about the suicidal thoughts," Bulma abruptly demanded, gripping her seat hard. "He doesn't need to know."

Launch nodded, but she said something that made Bulma feel sick. "It's not my story to tell, but if you ever want to tell him, you can, when you're ready."

Bulma didn't need the woman's permission, and she forced herself not to glower at her. It was completely ridiculous when Bulma stated that this is what _she wanted_ and Launch was completely ignoring her desires. Yeah, it was her story to tell, but Tarble already knew enough as it was. Bulma wasn't like Launch. She could let it go without destroying Tarble's world. It was in his best interest not to know the darker details of what Bulma suffered.

Different words left Bulma's mouth that she didn't mean to blurt out, "I was always afraid Tarble would hate me, that he would ask me questions and that he wouldn't believe my answers and hate me."

"Your brother would never hate you," Launch assured her. Bulma already knew that. "I wish we had known. Honestly, I'm a little angry with your mother for not telling us you were suicidal."

Bulma looked to the woman in alarm. "I didn't want her to," Bulma shot back. "He was the one causing it, and I was afraid he'd use it against me."

"Yes, but Bulma, sweetie, you were in crisis, and we could have helped if we had known."

 _No, they couldn't have,_ Bulma told herself. All that would have helped was her father treating her with the respect she deserved, as an individual, but he never cared enough, and neither had Launch honestly. Now, what was left to be done was to end this horrible nightmare she was enduring.

"None of this changes anything," Bulma stated again. "He still ignored me and, where I know he loved me, he still caused me to feel worthless and like I didn't matter."

"He would have never wanted you to feel like that," Launch reiterated. "I understand you were hurting, but you have to understand that your father was hurting also, and that caused him to make a very difficult choice where, because he was continuously hurting you, he had to remove himself from your life to protect you."

 _He ran away, again, as always, when things got too hard._ There was also an unspoken, "You just have to accept that that was the way your father was" in there, which Bulma heard loud and clear.

Bulma sensed the conversation was coming to a close, anyway, and she still wasn't sure that it had been a good thing. She had fought so hard against it, and she had already come to the same conclusions without it. She knew her father loved her. She knew he had lied and manipulated so many, and Launch was no exception. She now had confirmation that the reason her father lashed out at her was because he couldn't control her actions, who she was, what she said to others. Bulma had been the child, and Trunks had been the parent, and he had failed at being her parent. He could never take back what he said.

As for Launch, she was living in the past, unable to let it go all these years. All the older woman had kept saying was that she had wanted to tell her her father's story or that Trunks had wanted to tell his side of the story. It hadn't mattered what Bulma wanted, ever, and she had been forced to endure a conversation she never wanted to have. Launch hadn't respected her as an adult nor had she cared that discussing this whole matter caused Bulma to suffer. She didn't care about Bulma, not as deeply as a parent. That reminded her so much of their past. Neither Bulma's father nor her stepmother ever cared about what she wanted, never asked, and never listened. They never kept the woman's best interest at heart, even when she was a child. Plus, Bulma realized, Launch really had truly convinced herself to believe all she said, though many of her stories changed and some of it just downright didn't happen. Some of what she had to say indicated that her father had a twisted mind. She never expected her stepmother to be just like her father. No wonder the two had been in love, or their own twisted, controlling version of it.

But…Bulma realized something. She was living a good life and she was not like her father. Her stepmother would never let any of this go. The woman needed to believe this version of the truth to survive. Bulma truly pitied the woman for she had lost her partner, left alone to raise an eleven-year-old boy and to mend the bridge between the man's daughter. She couldn't imagine what it was like to lose that connection. It was only recently that Bulma had found her true love. She was happy. She had her son and daughter and nephews. She had her mother, her friends, her brother…her support system. She had continued living an amazing life. Launch was still trapped, stuck in the past. Bulma was the one looking towards a bright future, and she would be better than she ever was before.

"Honestly, Bulma," Launch spoke up, "I wasn't trying to force you into anything, but I felt you needed to hear about what your father was experiencing so that maybe it could bring you some closure. I've always wanted to see myself as someone like an aunt, as your stepmom, and as your friend."

Bulma looked over to the woman, taking in her sad and defeated expression, and she released a heavy sigh before forcing a smile while still feeling her inner turmoil rage. "Always a stepmom," Bulma replied, giving the woman a hug, "and always a friend." Of course, she was saying it for Launch's benefit mainly. She did still view her stepmother as such, but they definitely would never be as close as Bulma was with the other people in her life. But maybe now that she got it all out, she would drop it, and she and Bulma could move on and form some kind of friendship. Just, she couldn't put her through this again.

"Are you okay?" Launch questioned.

"I'm fine," Bulma stated abruptly. She really wasn't because she had been forced to endure this again when she had repeatedly said "no." "Actually, if I took anything from this talk, it's that it reinforced what I already know. Dad loved me. He made mistakes. I had already made my own analysis on his character through therapy and my ability to pick up on emotions. This talk just reinforced what I already knew." _Mainly that he was a liar and a narcissist who snowed everyone, including you._ "And I feel that I understand you both a lot better." _I understand that you're delusional and that, while I've moved forward, you haven't been able to let it go._ Honestly, Bulma really did pity her in a way for being stuck in the past.

"Well, then I accomplished what I set out to do."

 _Good,_ Bulma thought. _Now maybe I'll finally be free._

* * *

Bulma returned home after spending time with her future sister-in-law. Gure could sense that there was a tension between other two women, and she had a feeling as to why. She and Tarble knew what had transpired the morning after the couple had gotten engaged. Bulma was thankful that Gure kept the conversation going while Bulma was trying to collect herself. All in all, the rest of the day went smoothly. Still, she was so thankful for the outing to be over and Launch to drop her off at home, the ride back thick with silence.

As soon as Bulma got through the door, Trunks was instantly in front of her asking, "Are you all right? How did it go with Grannie Launch?"

Bulma just smiled and beamed brightly, giving her son a hug. She looked over to a perplexed Mai and Vegeta. "Hey, come over here you guys," she called, and they both listened. She pulled them into the hug, the four of them sharing a group hug.

Vegeta spoke up and said, "Let's go out for a movie or ice cream or whatever. Something fun."

"Okay," Bulma agreed, the idea of just doing _something_ appealing to her so that she could just shake this whole situation off at least for a few hours.

When they returned home, Bulma went up to hers and Vegeta's room while her husband got the teenagers settled in. He went upstairs to check on her and found her on the phone with her grandmother on her father's side. She was thanking the woman for all she and her husband did for her and how she appreciated them. Vegeta already knew that Bulma's grandmother knew his wife appreciated them.

Once off the phone, Bulma noticed Vegeta and offered him a weak, "Hi."

"Want to tell me what happened?"

Bulma sighed and shook her head. "Well, clearly I'm an idiot who needs to stop getting herself alone with that woman," she huffed. "I don't understand why she thought now was the time to do this, but I can't even begin to tell you. It took hours…no wonder she came for me so early."

"Unbelievable," Vegeta scoffed, taking a seat next to his wife on their bed. "Did _any_ of it help or give closure."

"Not really," Bulma told him. "Most of it was just how I thought it would be, excuse after excuse, blaming mom and my grandparents when they were the ones trying to look out for me. She said she understood how I felt and why I did and said what I did, but she still said that it caused my father to be hurt and be a certain way. So, even though she said she wasn't blaming me, she was blaming me. Plus, the stuff I figured out about my father on my own…she confirmed it. He was a liar, a narcissist, a man who couldn't accept his mistakes so those who knew them or pointed them out…he'd lash out at them. He wanted to control me and be the parent he wanted to be and not the one that I needed, and he wanted me to just sit their and listen to his bullshit and lies much like Launch forced me to do today."

"She forced it," Vegeta laughed bitterly.

Bulma nodded weakly. "Only way I could have escaped it both days would been to have jumped out of the moving car." Vegeta shook his head. "No matter how many times I said 'no' or asked to have someone present…she didn't respect me enough as an adult. She didn't respect that I could make my own choices and just couldn't let my father's story go unheard. She would have never stopped until I said I understood." Vegeta eyed the woman, concerned. "And I do understand, but not in the way Launch probably hoped I would.

"Their love…it was based on control, not real love. That letting someone be themselves, be free…that's real love. Just being there at all the good and bad moments and building someone up. That's real love."

Vegeta agreed, and he showed Bulma with action, kissing her passionately and lifting her up. He pressed her up against the bedroom wall and growled against her skin that he loved her. A trail of kisses went up her body to her ear, and Vegeta murmured that he would spend the rest of his life building her up and being there for her and whatever children they decided to have. Bulma melted into him, her anxiety momentarily forgot, as she let her aching heart find some solace in her husband's comforting embrace.

* * *

A/N: And now that I have gotten all these chapters out this week/month, I will be taking a little break from this story to work on my other stories. Don't worry; it will be back with plenty of action very soon. In the meantime, I really want to try to finish up the next Camaraderie chapter that I've had written since February…all of but two scenes that are not started/completed/finished/etc. As for this one, well, at least it ended on a little bit of fluff ^^'


	62. Chapter 61

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Hey, everyone, I'm back with another chapter for this story. Thank you all so much for bearing with me. It's been a crazy couple of months, and honestly, I needed some time to process. I'm still in the processing phase, trying to do my best with everything that happened. On a positive note, I did get to visit with my brother for a short time. My stepmother had me meet them where they were vacationing to come for an overnight. She did warn me that she wanted to talk to me about a dream she had about my father (meaning this just will never end), but thankfully it never happened. I spent all my time with my brother AND got him started one watching Dragon Ball Z Abridged which he loved. So baby steps ^_^ Anyway, thank you again, and also thank you to the guest reviewer, Lovely, who I got a review from recently. I have no idea if you've caught up in the story, but it means a lot to me that you like it.

Anyway, onward!

* * *

Not much time had passed since Bulma had been forced to endure "the conversation" with Launch not once but twice. She had told herself that she was okay with it, could get passed it. As the shock wore off, she couldn't lie to herself. Her stomach was completely in knots, still. She was completely overwhelmed and distracted. Vegeta did his best to pick up her slack, but at work it was such a trial. Bulma refused to take off, though. If she did, she felt like she'd be letting Launch and her father win. Except for the fact that her father was gone and probably actually wanted her to care for herself now. God, she thought she had been passed all of this.

"Hey, Bulma," Goku greeted her cheerfully. He had called her up, asking to meet up for lunch at their usual place. It had been quite a bit of time since Bulma had seen her friend. She thought it would be good to have some time with him, that maybe it would help her. The whole day, Bulma tried to focus on anything else but her stepmother and the dreaded talk. Eventually, Goku could just see it on her face, and his cheerful demeanor fell. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Bulma lied, sitting down across from him. She forced a smile, but Goku could see through it. Her eyes were tired and worn. Goku frowned. "How are you?"

"Bulma," Goku spoke sternly. "What happened? You look like...I don't know. You just look off."

Bulma sighed and picked up the menu. She already knew what she wanted, but she just didn't know how to talk about this more. Finally, she confessed, "Launch forced me into having 'the conversation.'" She didn't even need to look at her friend to tell he was pissed. Honestly, she could just sense it. Putting down her menu, Bulma saw the angered expression on his face and his clenched fist on the table. She placed her hand on his fist, him only slightly relaxing. "I'm okay."

"No," Goku stated. "No you're not. I could see it before you sat down, and I finally realize. Bulma, you look the way you do every time you talked about him, every time you talked about your father. What did she say? And how did she force you into it?"

A sardonic laugh escaped Bulma. "You know those random times when you feel like jumping out of a moving car is the only way to escape unpleasant situations. Well, in this case that was the _only_ way to escape it."

"You've gotta be kidding me," Goku deadpanned. Then his expression softened, and he grabbed Bulma's hand. "What did she say?"

"What I expected her to say," Bulma acknowledged making Goku frown. "Basically she blamed everyone else but him, said they all failed me, them, mom, and my grandparents when the only reason I even had a childhood was because of mom and my family." She sighed. "She made excuse after excuse, and said that I said things that made him feel terrible and that he felt he couldn't be a father to me without hurting me so he made the difficult choice to leave me…to protect me."

Goku glared at a spot on the table, squeezing her hand. "He was a coward, Bulma. If he couldn't face what he did…the way he took it out on you. I can't stand people like that."

"There's more," Bulma warned him.

Her friend was shocked. "How much more?"

"Too much more that I can't even process all of it to tell you," she admitted. "She had an excuse for everything. And she just wouldn't stop until I said 'I understand.'" Her friend looked skeptical. "I said I understand her and my father better now as individuals. Basically that he was controlling and narcissistic and that she fell for the lies while also being exactly like him." Bulma shook her head. "Do you remember the last major text conversation Trunks and I ever had, the year before he died?"

Did Goku ever. He also remembered Bulma's hysterical reaction. Her mother had been with her, but she was just so wrecked by her father saying how bad she was and calling her "illegitimate," confirming her original thoughts and fears, the one that caused her to fall into a deeper depression in college that she was ever in in high school. She had called him up crying, and he couldn't understand her. He worked towards calming her down, just so she could read him the message and get herself worked up again. It was the day that Bulma had finally said that she was done, done trying to fix things between herself and her father, and she asked him what he thought. He was honest when he said he thought she'd be better off, that she had given him too many chances and he just chose to continuously hurt her.

A nod was Bulma's answer as she told him, "Goku, I just about died when she said there were two parts to the 'e-mail.' I thought she was going to say I attacked her, which I really didn't. She said instead that the context was that it didn't matter how I came into the world. They were going to love me anyway."

"You read the text to me," Goku reminded her. "That's a load of bull, Bulma. That was _not_ what he said at all. He said all of that stuff to hurt you." He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself for his friend's benefit. "Look, to hear all the excuses she fed you for what he did to you, nothing can excuse it."

"You're right," Bulma agreed, her voice sounding slightly weak. "I actually pity Launch because she'll never find closure while we continue to live happy lives. She's still haunted by the past. Just…there's some stuff I just can't look past her saying. It really offended me."

"What is it?"

Bulma met Goku's gaze and frowned. "She told me not to hurt Trunks the way my father hurt me if Trunks ever hurts me the way all children hurt their parents."

Goku scoffed and shook his head. "That's idiotic. Trunks is just a couple years shy of being an adult, and you've been nothing short of supportive of him. You _never_ hurt him. You've done right by him. Neither you or him or Tarble…none of you are anything like your father."

"Thanks, Goku," Bulma whispered, smiling. "I really needed to hear that."

"Let's talk about something more uplifting," Goku suggested. "How's Vegeta?"

A genuine smile appeared on Bulma's face. "Amazing," Bulma told her friend. "He's been really great since all of this happened. Overall, we're both in a really good place. Vegeta, he mentioned the possibility of us adopting."

Goku lit up, a big, goofy grin appearing on his face. "You guys should definitely do that," he excitedly said. "You deserved to do what you love, being a mother and loving with your whole being." Bulma beamed at her friend, laughing lightly as she squeezed his hand. She was thankful he was so supportive of her, her biggest cheerleader.

At that moment, Krillin showed up to take their order. Goku ordered quite a bit of sushi rolls and then looked to Bulma. She sheepishly grinned at her friend. "I'll just have a sweet potato roll and a ginger ale." Both of her friends looked at her like she was crazy. "My…stomach has been in knots since I saw Launch."

Goku's expression turned grim. He knew how his friend was when she was upset. It was lucky she was even eating. Normally, she'd avoid food like the plague making herself more nauseated. Still, her body did like to retaliate against her when she was stressed. He nodded to Krillin who went to take their order back to the chefs.

* * *

Vegeta was at his mother's house while Bulma was out to lunch with her best friend. This was something Vegeta had started to do weekly, actually enjoying their lunches. At first, he didn't say very much in terms of conversation with his mother. After having interacted with her like this for nearly a month, he had started to drop his guard around her. They would talk about real world issues and his family, now. It was starting to feel like all those years of separation were in the past. Honestly, Vegeta really did desire that. With what happened to his wife, he realized that hanging on to negative feelings for so long was poisonous to one's heart and soul. He didn't want to ever be similar to Launch. It was time to let go.

"So, how are things with Bulma?" Kalina asked kindly. She really loved that woman like her own daughter and was thankful that the woman had stolen and nurtured her son's heart. Vegeta's expression soured, and Kalina nearly took it the wrong way. "Did you have a fight?"

Vegeta's expression became one of bewilderment. "What? No!" He protested before his mother chuckled and he relaxed. "No. Just, she's had a very challenging life, and a lot of it has to do with her deceased father." He saw his mother's expression soften. "She's just been going through something, and I want to help. I just, I don't know what to do sometimes."

"That happens in all relationships," Kalina assured him. "Just be there for her. You've been doing a wonderful job of that so far. Sometimes, at the end of the day, just being able to sit next to your husband and lean your head on his shoulder is more healing than anything else."

Vegeta nodded at her advice. He knew that. Bulma kept saying he was doing enough, yet he couldn't take this pain away from her. There was this hope that he could distract her, but he didn't know how. The only thing he could think of was a taxing process and he didn't think she needed that right now.

"Bulma and I have been tossing around the idea of adoption," he confided in his mother. He could see the excited gleam in her eye. "I…wanted to get started on the process right away," he expressed, "but Bulma's stepmother just dropped a big bombshell on her, and I'm afraid to overwhelm my wife."

Kalina walked over to her son and sat beside him, taking his hand in hers. "You can voice that fear to Bulma, you know. She'll be able to set your mind and ease. You never know. She might be in the same place you are. Only she can tell you if she thinks it's a good idea to wait. There's not sense to keep guessing."

Vegeta could understand that. He knew his mother was right about that too. A nod was her answer, and she smiled. Kalina, though, could see her son's mind working on overdrive. She decided to bring up a less heavy topic. "So, what time should I meet up with you this Friday for Trunks's school football game?"

Her son grinned at that and said, "We're all meeting up at a pizzeria before the game. You're welcome to join us."

"I would love to," Kalina voiced, a bright smile appearing on her face. "Thank you for inviting me."

"You don't need to thank me," Vegeta stated, bridging a gap he never thought he would since Kalina had come back into his life, "mother."

The woman threw herself at her son, hugging him tightly and crying tears of joy. Vegeta actually chuckled at her overly emotional display, subtly wiping away his lone tear. This felt right, he thought, finally letting go and forgiving her completely. He could admit to himself that he was glad to have the woman back in his life.

* * *

There was still one more person Bulma needed to talk to about the conversation, and it was the one she was dreading the most. "Hi, mom," she greeted as she entered her mother's home. "You wanted to see me."

Bunny paused in her cooking and turned to see her timid daughter. She frowned for but a second before she used her cheer and went to embrace her daughter. "Bulma, silly, you sound so formal. Come in! I haven't seen you in a while."

"I've been processing," Bulma hesitated. Her mother looked to her with worry. "Mom, I need to talk to you about something."

"What is it, dear?"

"Launch finally got her wish…"

Bunny gaped at her daughter before righteous rage filled her heart. "You have got to be kidding me. It's been how many years? Why would she bring it up again now?"

"She never really stopped bringing it up," Bulma told the woman, and her mother seemed surprised. "I wanted you guys to tolerate each other, and I knew it would make things harder for you if I told you."

"Bulma, sweetie," the woman said calmly, "I would have never started something."

"I know _you_ wouldn't have," Bulma assured her. "I didn't trust Launch."

Bunny shook her head before anger took over again. Her mother could go from kind to her into mama bear mode very quickly. "Still, that bitch," she practically hissed. "I don't know what she thought she could say to make any of this okay."

"Apparently a lot," Bulma grumbled, taking a seat on the table and groaning as she laid her head down. "It was just excuse after excuse. And I thought I could stop it by telling her about my…bad thoughts." Bunny frowned as she remembered all of that. "She didn't care, didn't even want to hear about it. She just wanted me to hear how everyone failed me by not ever leaving me alone with him and how you messed up his visitation."

Bunny joined her at the table and laughed bitterly. "He was the one who messed up his own visitation. Did you tell her how he would tell me he wasn't coming back the next day and left me to be the one to tell you?"

Bulma sighed and shook her head. "No, mom. It wouldn't have made a difference. She wouldn't have believed me because it came out of someone else's mouth. I had to be really careful with what I said. I had to lie at one point to convey something important by saying I read the court documents. I know the information was in there. You told me that, but had I said _you_ told me, she would have said everyone was out to get him like she already did. That way, she said she couldn't go against what I saw or read because that was my 'reality.' When I told her that your story and hers on how you both got together with dad were similar, she told me we'd have to agree to disagree on that."

A bitter laugh escaped her mother. "She's delusional."

"Right," Bulma enforced. "Mom, telling her more things about what we went through…she would have ignored it and continued to find ways to tell me I was wrong. At least I finally got to tell her some of the stuff I've been holding on to, stuff that she couldn't refute."

Bunny nodded and went to sit beside her daughter, placing a hand on her shoulder. "What else did you tell her?"

"I…told her about the suicidal thoughts."

The concern mother felt awful for her daughter. She knew that Bulma always had that point in reserve. Had Launch not dropped it all, tried to force her into a bad situation, Bulma had always hoped the woman would love and respect her enough to drop the topic to protect her. It didn't go as Bulma planned, honestly. "And she still defended him?"

Bulma scoffed a laugh. "Yes, and even better, she blamed you for not telling them while I was in crisis because they 'could have helped me.'"

"I tried to call your father," Bunny explained, shocking Bulma. The woman hadn't known that. "Trunks wouldn't answer. He stopped talking to me completely when you turned sixteen, and I wasn't going to leave some nonchalant voicemail stating you wanted to kill yourself because of him. Plus, he was the one causing it, so hell if I was going to continue to try to say anything to him. I focused on you, your recovery. That was what was important."

Bulma felt even more respect for her mother. She had tried to bring her father into the loop. The whole time she talked with Launch, she told the woman that she never wanted her mom to tell her father. It seemed her mom did a lot more behind the scenes that she struggled with on her own. At least Bulma wasn't the only one being ignored. "She told me I called him a pathetic father. Said she was there."

Bunny shook her head. "Bulma, he was a pathetic father, and he _knew_ he was a pathetic father, but I assure you that you never called him that. You had the door open every time you were on the phone with him. _I_ was there. Even when you were angry, you were always extremely careful about what you said. By you telling him how you felt, he _believed_ you thought he was a pathetic father."

"I don't know why I let her do this to me," Bulma spoke, angry at herself. "I mean, I'm an adult. I know myself. I have my own memories. She's _not_ my parent, and let I allowed her to do exactly what Trunks used to do to me." She sat up to look her mother in the eye. "I feel like I'm three people." Bunny's brow raised in confusion. "Sometimes I feel like the confident and independent adult that I am. Other times I feel like the carefree child. And then sometimes I still feel like that small, scared child curled up on a ball in the floor in front of my bookcase just wanting it all to go away."

"Bulma, sweetie, you were abused," Bunny reminded her. "Of course you wanted it to stop. Sometimes I feel like emotional abuse is worse than physical abuse because in warps the mind in such ways. You will never fully get over it, Bulma, but you've learned to live with it. It's okay if you feel like that small child sometimes. It's okay if you're not one-hundred percent seven days a week. All that matters is you are you, my daughter, and one of the strongest women I know. It's going to take time for you to get over what Launch did. She dragged you back to a place and time that you did not want to go. Honestly, I'm furious with her. She hurt you, and I'm not okay with that. But it's over. It's done. You heard her out, and now you can tell her that you're done if this ever comes up again."

"I really wish it were over, mom," Bulma murmured. "But it never will be until she gets me to believe her side of everything."

"So you're just supposed to sit there and listen to their side, but she won't give you the chance to tell your side."

"That's exactly what it's like, though I did manage to tell her some of the past history. I told her how he was there. That he was in the town, with you. That the family told me tha-"

"Oh, Bulma, you misunderstood," Bunny interjected, her eyes sad. "My parents _wanted_ your father to be in the town and stay at the monastery. He chose not to. He'd come to see me when he went to visit his family, I went back up to school for graduation, and we did speak on the phone a few times during the pregnancy, but he wasn't physically there."

Bulma paled. "Oh…great, that means she thinks everyone lied to me…"

"You can always let her know," Bunny assured her. "But, honestly, don't worry about it. It's fine. She already thinks lowly of me anyway."

Bulma saw her mom's teasing smile and laughed, shaking her head. "I feel like that makes two of us."

"Let me finish up on dinner," Bunny suggested. "All of this talk has made me a little hungry. I think we should head straight for the cheese, chocolate, and wine."

"Sounds good," Bulma replied. She then took out her cell phone, immediately texting Launch about her misunderstanding. With everything going on, she didn't need Launch to think her or her whole family as liars or strain the begrudging relationship between her mother and Launch again.

 **Hi, Launch. I just wanted to let you know that I spoke to my mom about some of the stuff I told you and she told me I misunderstood one of her stories. That dad didn't stay at the monastery, that my grandparents wanted him to but he didn't, but he and mom got together when he visited his family, that she saw him for graduation, and that they spoke on the phone. I just wanted to let you know that I made a mistake in what I told you and set the record straight. I love you, and I just wanted you to know that.**

Okay, so she was able to get over her nerves at send that rambling monstrosity, but at least she would know. Hopefully it wouldn't come back to bite her as everything else seemed to. Her phone went off very soon after, and Bulma stared at the screen at a text that she felt was probably forced and maybe a tad bit genuine.

 **Thank you.**

"Bulma, are you all right?"

Bulma looked to her mother and flashed a sad smile. "Yeah, mom. I'll be okay. Like you said, it's just going to take a while to recover from this."

The woman just hoped it wouldn't take herself too long.

* * *

At home, Bulma found Vegeta making dinner for himself and the kids. She made her way to kiss him on the cheek, and he asked her how being with her mother was. Bulma told him all about the say she had, telling both Goku and her mother in one day all about the conversation and everything Launch had said to her. Vegeta paused in his task, embracing her. He knew how overwhelming that had to have been. "How's your stomach?"

"Still ill," Bulma sighed, indulging in the feeling of Vegeta's strong arms wrapped around her. "I'm just struggling to get over it. I don't understand why years have gone by and she's still stuck in the past."

"I can't answer that," Vegeta told her. "Truthfully, I had been stuck, but I knew I had to come back and face my demons."

"Yeah, but you were the victim," Bulma stated. "It's different, and besides, you're brave and a fighter. She's staying in denial because she's afraid to come to the realization that her life was a life. You know, she blamed the other driver. She said if this accident had never happened, we would have had all the time in the world to work things out."

"It's not the driver's fault your father was a shit," Vegeta grunted. "And clearly 'all the time in the world' translates to not enough time. He should have made things right when he could."

"It wasn't the driver's fault at all," Bulma stated. She could see Vegeta's surprise, and she realized that she had told him about the accident, but not all of the details. "It had been a medical emergency, something that happened while he was driving that made him lose control of the car. Launch was on the warpath, gunning for his license afterwards, but honestly, I could tell without even meeting him what kind of man he was."

"How?" Vegeta questioned, completely baffled by what his wife was telling him.

"Because his family reached out to us while the man was in a coma and fighting for his life," Bulma explained. She then grew very sad. "You know, I always wanted to talk to the man, to tell him I didn't blame him, that it was all an accident, and that I appreciated his family trying to reach out. But I didn't even know when they did. Apparently, Launch sent them away and didn't even tell me they were there. I couldn't do anything because she took the choice away from me. It's haunted me all these years, been bothering me at strange moments. I wanted him to know…because I know if it were me who caused that, I would never get over it. It would consume me forever, and I'd want someone to tell me that."

"Do you know the name of the man?" Bulma shook her head. "It's probably in the accident report."

Bulma's eyes lit up. "It is? I…I never read the accident report. Mom told me not to. She didn't want me to see the pictures of the car."

"We can have Jay look into it," Vegeta told her. "He can get us the name, and we can check the white pages and see if he still lives in that area. If you want to tell him that so badly, you should have the chance to."

"But…what if I upset him?" Bulma asked. "What if it brings up bad memories for him? What if he doesn't remember? It was over twenty years ago, and I know he was an older man. Wait, what if he's not alive anymore?"

"Bulma," Vegeta called out to her. "What if's are not something to live by. The worst that could happen is he doesn't write back. Can you live with that?"

Bulma nodded. "I just want him to know…I want to tell him that I found some peace and that I hope the same for him."

"Then you should go for it," Vegeta told her. "I support you all the way. I'm sure everyone else would, too."

"Launch wouldn't," Bulma scoffed. "She'd see it as the ultimate betrayal of 'loyalty.'"

"Do you really care what she thinks?"

"Honestly, no."

"Good," Vegeta stated. "Then we don't have to tell her."

Bulma smiled at her husband and thanked him again. Vegeta released her and called Nappa to let him know he and Bulma would be there for work in the afternoon the next day and to hold all meetings with the board. He planned to take Bulma to the police station, not let her hand this all alone. He may not have known what to do for her, but this was definitely something he knew he _could_ do. And that was enough.

* * *

The next day, Jay was surprised to see Bulma and Vegeta at the station. "Guys, what's going on?" He paled. "It's not anything else to do with Frieza's kid, is it?"

"Not this time," Vegeta remarked lightly.

Jay looked to Bulma skeptically and groaned. "Don't tell me you want me to do another _illegal_ DNA test…"

"No, that's not what this is," Bulma remarked, her voice sounding strangely nervous and timid. "I wanted to know if you have access to out-of-state accident reports from over twenty years ago."

Jay appeared to be confused. "Um, yeah, I do…but you know, you can just look those up online if you know the year and the town. Why are you asking?"

"I want to find out the name of the man who was in the crash with my father," Bulma stated, stunning her friend. "The other driver. I want to write him a letter."

"That's…wow, Bulma," Jay stammered. "Yeah, I can find that. It won't even take very long. Just…write down the town and year for me. I already know your father's name."

"Thank you, Jay," Bulma replied, taking the paper and pen he had outstretched to her.

* * *

Jay had been amazing. He had been able to find the man's name. He showed Bulma that she could search it online, first by entering the information she gave him. Most of the reports were new articles on the accident. They found the man's name. Then, they looked together on white pages. Really, Bulma could have done this all on her own, and she wished the idea had come to her long ago.

She and Vegeta went to work after, Bulma feeling both relieved and nervous about having the address at her disposal. Vegeta walked her to her office, and Bulma tried to get to work, but she just kept staring at the address, wondering what the man would think of her. Finally, she managed to gather up that courage, taking out a stationary card. Then, she wrote what she felt, what she told Vegeta she wanted to tell the man. She didn't write much more than that because she didn't know what kind of can she was opening up. She hoped the man would appreciate it.

He did.

Weeks later, Bulma received a letter from the man. It felt so surreal, and she nearly cried when she found the envelope in her mail. Vegeta was by her side when she opened it, and Bulma pulled out a thank you note. When she opened the card, a typed page fell out. She opened it, and teared up as she read it out loud to her husband.

Trunks entered the kitchen, seeing his parents looking at a piece of paper, and he hung around the wall. He listened as his mother read the most heartfelt message ever, regarding her father's death. The man who spoke in the letter expressed how much the accident had haunted him, how he had always been a careful driver and never expected this all to happen. He was immensely apologetic and thought he should have been taken instead of Bulma's father. Trunks cringed when he heard that. It was a lot of guilt to carry after all these years.

"I can't believe all the health problems he went through and the surgeries," Bulma remarked, sighing sadly. "That poor man. And all this guilt he feels over it. To still have night terrors…"

Vegeta took the letter out of her hand and read the final paragraph. "'I really appreciate you taking the time to write to me about your feelings. Your parents obviously raised a very thoughtful daughter and I'm sure your dad looks down on you from above and thinks the same thing. I'm so glad you found my address. I think about the Briefs family every day. If you don't ever wish to write again, I can understand and accept that. Bulma, it breaks my heart that your dear father is not here now. I wish you the very best and thank you so very much for your kind words, for being honest and brave in writing me.'" Vegeta looked to Bulma and took her hand. "He's right, you know. You are thoughtful and brave. You did the right thing. This obviously meant a lot to him."

"I want to write him again," Bulma announced. "I don't like that he harbors so much guilt over it and I want to tell him that it was just a tragedy, something that happened. There's no reason for him to think he should have been taken. He has a family too…"

"You can write whatever you want to him," Vegeta assured her. "Your stepmother doesn't have to know."

"Well, honestly…reading about how my mom and dad raised me…" Bulma sighed. "I think I want to tell him the truth. Not everything, but a very watered down version of how dad and I weren't close."

"Whatever you want to do," Vegeta encouraged, kissing the back of her hand. "Bulma, you've hidden your truth for so long from other people. You hid it from me when we met and were dating. There is no reason for you to hide yourself anymore. You did it to protect your brother and stepmother, but Tarble knows enough and your stepmother lost your last shred of loyalty when she made you talk about your past."

Trunks gasped quite loudly from behind the stairs, and both Bulma and Vegeta sat up and looked over. The teenager looked over to them guiltily, his eyes filled with worry. "I-I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I just…"

"Trunks, it's okay," Bulma said with a smile. She patted the seat next to her. "Come and sit."

Her son did so, the boy still looking like a child who was caught doing something wrong. "I know I'm not supposed to eavesdrop on your conversations," he stated.

"No, but in this case, it's fine," Bulma forgave the boy. "How much did you hear?"

"Some of the letter," Trunks admitted. "And that Grannie Launch forced you to have that talk." The teen glared at the table as he said the latter part. He looked to his mom with worry-filled eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because, Trunks," Bulma replied, "it wasn't something you needed to worry about." Trunks appeared unconvinced. "I didn't need you to be worried about Launch and me being alone, and I definitely didn't want you to disrespect Launch on my behalf."

"But she hurt you," Trunks argued. "How can you not be furious with her?"

"I am furious with her," Bulma confessed, surprising her son but not Vegeta. "I'm not going to tell you details, and I don't want you to try to listen in, either. At all. Understand?" Trunks nodded, not meeting his mother's eyes. He knew she meant well, but there was this part of him that still felt this need to protect the woman who raised him. "I won't lie to you. It hurt and was painful and it didn't help, _but_ I finally got to say some of my piece to her. It's not something she will easily adjust to, either. I spoke up for myself, and that's what's important."

"You're right," Trunks stated. He finally looked up to see his parents' faces. "So, the letter? Why did you write to the guy who caused the accident? I mean, I know you told me it wasn't his fault, but I don't get why, after so long."

"I always wanted to tell the man I never blamed him, and I wanted him to find peace," Bulma told her son, ruffling his hair. She then took hold of both his and Vegeta's hands, beaming at them. "I've already found mine."

Trunks grinned at his mother and squeezed her hand. She had such a loving heart, and he admired her for that. It still bothered him that his step-grandmother had finally had her way. His mom had kept her at bay for so long. This whole thing wasn't fair. Why did the woman have to drag his mother down? So many years had passed. Would she _ever_ let it go?

"Now, Trunks, please go upstairs and do your homework," Bulma ordered. "Your father and I are going to get dinner ready."

"I can help if you want," Trunks offered, but he saw his father's stern gaze. "What?"

"Homework, now," Vegeta enforced. "We'll talk about the eavesdropping later."

Bulma's brow quirked, but she said nothing, especially when Trunks accepted Vegeta's words and raced off to do his homework. The woman smiled at her husband. "Nicely done."

"Hn," Vegeta returned. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Honestly, I go back and forth. What I want to do right now is just have some normalcy for the night."

"Then that's what we'll do," Vegeta agreed, getting up and extending his hand to her. "Mrs. Kurobushi."

Bulma laughed with mirth as she let Vegeta pulled her up from his seat. The two exchanged a kiss before going off into the kitchen, ready to make the meal together. The turmoil Bulma had been feeling on a regular basis was nothing compared to the love she felt around her. She only hoped this feeling would last.


End file.
